Brighter Days
by Narcissistic Uchiha
Summary: A storyline in which the clan is alive due to some weird circumstances. Yet, the Uchiha complex wasn't totally settled. Itachi kept bearing the mistreat of everyone in the Uchiha especially his father. He was soon diagnosed with a life-threatening disease as unexpected old and new friends popped out to back him up. Rated M for language and possible lemon scenes.
1. prologue

**DISCLAIMER** : I don't own any of the characters.

 **AN** : this is my first fanfiction, I'm not that good at english but I really tried my best here...Don't go so tough on me in the reviews...pleaaase ;-;

 _Characters' thoughts are written in Italic._

~~~~~~~~~

 ** _21st Of December_**

Itachi slid the door closed behind him, stepped out of his shoes as he walked in. It was quite soothing for him to be at home after a long, very long time spent outside in a congealing weather to fulfill some troublesome ANBU missions. It was cold outside, deadly cold; snow mounted Konoha's roads, layers and layers of the thick fluffy fluid were piled on roofs and leafless Sakura trees.

Somehow, the young Uchiha made it home alive but not as sound as he seemed to be; tiredness devoured him, he felt that his knees might betray him then drop him to the floor at any time however continuing wasn't a choice but rather a must.

It made him quite happy -innerly- that he reached home safe; at least he's now able to see the angelic face that never left his mind and meet the reason of his very existence; Sasuke.

But, something deep inside was twitching painfully. Not very long ago, the entire family would wait him to return even if it was late in the night; his mother would make him the food he loved, his father would recite his usual boring lectures and most of all Sasuke -the cute drowsy Sasuke- who would run to leap over him then suffocatingly embrace him.

Now, everything has changed, even Sasuke stopped stalking him yelling "Nii-san". None will care even if he died, that was what Itachi tried to desperately admit. But he still needed Sasuke, still it hurt him being ignored that way.

Itachi walked down the hallway to the bathroom; he needed to wash away the grime, the flicks of blood on his body and the dust stuck to his sooty curls but most importantly some ease and calmness were a necessity. Once standing near the tub he ran the warm water filling it and strewed his clothes all over the floor.

One last time he gazed into the nearby mirror and honestly recognizing himself was a chore to do, each one saw him in a different way drifting apart the image he made of himself, slowly he was immerging into something he couldn't guess, he just wished Shisui to be there. He stared into his eyes; just dead black with no sign of light met his glare.

Rapidly, he stepped into the bathtub then sat -willing to wipe out his thoughts side by side to dirt- Itachi sank his almost frozen body in the steamy water. Pushing his back against the cold marble, he spew a deep sigh.

Towels tightly wrapped around his waist falling perfectly on his thighs, torso naked, wet raven hair resting peacefully on his shoulders, Itachi rushed to his room then gentility opened the door. He was dumbfounded when a lump beneath his blanket welcomed him. A smile forced its way through his lips when he saw Sasuke -the cute little Sasuke- curled up in his bed. Itachi cursed himself for recently doubting his baby brother's care and innocent love. Wiggling closer, he noticed that Sasuke was firmly clenching one of his pullovers. The sight made his heart grow sore for a reason he had to ignore.

Once in his kitten-decorated pyjamas, Itachi sneaked near Sasuke. Delicately, he rubbed his younger brother's puffy cheeks, so delicately afraid of bothering his deep slumber. Itachi was eager to hug him so tight but he had to wait, god would be upset if we bother angels during their sleep. So instead, he cradled him gently then admired his flawless features one last time before deducing it was time to rest too.

Then that tone, that spilled-honey like tone uttered hoarsely his name.

'Itachi?'

'You're awake otouto?'

Sasuke nodded then rose his gaze to meet his elder's; He could see sorrow locked behind his unsparkling glare, weariness felt obvious on his pale face, though everything, Itachi drew the usual faint smile. It made Sasuke wonder just how many times did his Nii-san fake smiles. Sasuke knew it through his trembling limbs, his frozen tips, the tone of his skin, the agitated rhythm of his breaths...He knew it well -that Itachi wasn't fine at all- but he couldn't show his solicitude, his ego said so.

'If you want to eat, food is still on the table...It's cold...Still better than nothing.'

'I don't feel like eating...but...I have...one...wish' Itachi mumbled.

Sasuke hummed tilting slightly his head, this was his manner; cold, arrogant and there was no way he could confess his feelings.

 _Only weaklings would surrender to their hearts._

There was one unique method to make him melt; Itachi, and even for him, bringing Sasuke to admit some feeling required hard work...

For itachi it was the cutest thing ever.

'Come closer...Otouto'

The elder whispered huskily drawing on his brother's face a light blush. Still struggling against his feelings, Sasuke rolled turning his back to his Aniki.

'No way' the younger growled.

'S-sasuke...I'm begging you' Itachi whispered as he tightened his fists on the cover pulling it above his scalp. His voice was somehow the key to unlock the bridge blocking the flow of Sasuke's feelings. The younger snuggled closer delivering his gaze away as the slight blush skulked all over his face.

'H-here' Sasuke babbled, pouting.

Wrapping Itachi felt like being poured through a giant fluffy teddy bear except few things, these included his affectionate warmth and unique scent.

Though he clutched him against his chest so firmly, Itachi was still shaking lightly, no matter how many times Sasuke inquired if he was fine, Itachi faked a smile and said it was ok.

It was hard for Sasuke to share his feelings...but way harder for Itachi to share his pain.

The sensation of his body torn apart was bothersome, luckily Sasuke was there for fond and company.

Right hand stroking his hair, left hand rubbing his back, Sasuke cuddled his Nii-san pulling him into a deep slumber.

Breaths, slowly in, slowly out Itachi sank in his dreamland. Beside being an angel in the sights of his elder, Sasuke has been also his Morpheus*.

Physically, they were close -so close- but their souls refused to unite; each scattered apart, each had his own different reason.

Itachi was too attached to his baby brother, obviously, he was ready to sacrifice himself in order to protect him. Not wanting to create more problems within their family, especially protecting Sasuke from their father's quarrelsomeness, Itachi chose isolation as a solution.

Sasuke saw his brother evading him, slowly vanishing from his sights. Afraid of getting hurt, Sasuke rushed to cut his ties with Itachi but couldn't...

It was impossible, way impossible for him to leave...instead, Sasuke wore the cool, cold boy mask chosing to pour his heart beneath it.

Their bond was an iced shell.

Both missed each other, loved each other and cared about each other.

Showing it remained a hardship from a different level.

Until that sunrise.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Morpheus: a greek god of sleep and dreams.

AN: hope you liked it :')


	2. Tears of lionless

Piecemeal, scarlet spread beneath the clouds dragging them into a new day.

Sasuke squatted down on the mattress staring at the clock beside him.

 _6:45..._

Obviously, insomnia had taken over Sasuke all night long. The reason felt gloomy to him. A tingly feeling, a painful-rated sensation made his core quake each time his glare fell on Itachi. It was strong, too strong for him -the one who has always denied feelings. A perfect recipe, made of worry, anxiety, complexions and an endless flow of empathy was able to steal his sleep and make his mind go blank.

Once more, _just once more_ , he gazed at his straight raven hair...

 _His hair has gotten so long..._

Then shifted to stare at his body full of knits growing stiffer with each mission...

 _ANBU missions shall be exhausting..._

Sasuke never had an opportunity to observe his brother for so long.

Sometimes he wasn't even able to recall his details. It was a nice opportunity; he spent it to print Itachi's new image in his memory.

Then...his hand slid -reluctantly- to meet Itachi's. Playfully, Sasuke pulled on his fingers, ran his index's tip on Itachi's palm, poked his wraist, tweaked his thenar...

Teasing Itachi felt nostalgic.

But something was worrying; a constant shade of red took over his brother's cheeks causing Sasuke to drag his hand towards the feverish forehead then plaster his palm on it.

Sasuke winced for a second. Forcingly, he shook his Aniki's shoulders, yelped his name trying -in vain- to wake him up.

 _Dammit! Itachi!_

No matter how hard he tried, Itachi remained in his dreamland wandering around in his kitten pyjamas.

Till Sasuke heard him mumble some words hard for him to register and torturing to believe...

'S-Sasuke...I'm sorry...I never meant to leave you behind...'

Itachi kept hallucinating through heart-tearing whimpers.

'I just didn't want...Tou-San to argue with you...'

Motionless, Sasuke stared at his brother tripped out because of fever; honestly, he thought Itachi was somehow immortal; through his short lifetime, he could never recall seeing him lay down because of an illness.

That sunrise, his Nii-san was writhing in pain in front of him.

He had to do something but his limbs have gotten paralyzed due to shock.

It was probably adrenaline that pushed him to run like a crazy right forth the kitchen.

 _Tou-san and Kaa-san shall be there..._

Once his destination reached, sasuke stormed in. Still panting due to the overdose of epinephrine, he howled.

'TOU-SAN! KAA-SAN!'

Mikoto and Fugaku were chatting nonchalantly.

Through the mess in the barthroom, Mikoto knew her beloved son was back. With Fugaku on her head almost all the time, supervising her acts and forbidding her from having the mere contact with Itachi...She had to act careless too.

Itachi knew it, and knew also the scars hidden beneath her love.

Fugaku was squatting down having his breakfast.

Mikoto was clumsily washing dishes; Itachi has never -not even for a second- forsaken her mind.

Things seemed serene, deep inside each one had his own unsealed wound. Deep inside, they were still bleeding.

Snow didn't cease to fall, yet.

Parents glanced at their kid as his worry skulked to them in the speed of light. Eyes wide open, Fugaku inquired about Sasuke's sudden entrance and bemused state. Sasuke shrieked; you could easily define grief through his voice.

'I-Itachi-Niii!...Nii-san is so ill!!'

Fugaku shrugged.

 _who cares about traitors anyway..._

Mikoto was somehow ready to hear something of the like. She knew her son the most.

Lately he wasn't fine.

 _He wasn't fine at all..._

The more she spent time with the negligent mask, the deep her wound grew.

Till that final shattering blow given by Sasuke's replica.

Tears reluctantly crossed her cheeks in a non-stop pace.

Luckily, her back faced Sasuke and Fugaku. She could hide her distress more.

'It's a mere cold...honey...Itachi-kun will be fine...'

Despair surmounted her voice as she uttered anxiously the few words she was able to arrange into a sentence.

Fugaku stood, with certain steps, he strode towards the door where Sasuke was still standing, mind-puzzled; the predicament they were in wasn't easy to understand.

Fugaku declared he was going to work when he passed Sasuke to reach the hallway.

Mikoto knelt. face beneath folded hands, she sobbed. Tried hard not to wail out loud but it couldn't be helped, she was going to lose her son.

 _Forgive me...Itachi..._

Sasuke -torn between his careless father and crying mother- sharply thrusted his fist through a nearby wall.

'What's with the negligent mood...Tou-san?'

Sasuke questioned roughly, so roughly that it irritated Fugaku.

'I have no intention to play father with a traitor'

Fugaku shouted. It was unlike his father to raise his voice. Whenever he did, they knew things were serious.

A deep hush ruled the situation for seconds till Fugaku's footsteps broke it as he restared moving towards the main door.

Each word his father said kept fuelling the fury inside of him. An image of Itachi side by side to another of Fugaku kept flashing within his memory; Itachi, the brother that beared the responsibility of allying Konoha and Uchiha clan again and Fugaku the authoritarian father who sees his son as a traitor for protecting the clan, the village and the shinobi world from a possible fourth world war. He clenched his fists when that image pushed him to mumble furiously:

'YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE ITACHI'S FATHER!'

Fugaku rolled his eyes to meet his son's as if he was defying him to repeat what he said. Sasuke accepted the challenge and with a certain-toned voice he declared:

'You never deserved to be his father!'

Surrendering himself to anger, Fugaku lost control on his reflexes which lead him to raise his hand. Sasuke was smart enough to guess the upcoming events and he was ready. When Fugaku's hand started making its path to meet his face, Sasuke closed his eyes firmly anticipating the harsh slap. He waited, it felt so long, too long that he decided to open his eyes. These widened in shock when he saw Itachi standing in front of him, sharing death glares with their out raged father.

~~~~~~~~~

 **AN:** we all know how Itachi died. Sasuke didn't slaughter him but rather assisted his death due to an illness. My story won't be so different from the original plot, it s kinda another storyline with Itachi and the clan alive.

epinephrine: adrenaline.

 ** _Hope you like it despite my silly way of writing :')_**

 **please review...**


	3. Itach's decision

Sharingan staring into Sharingan, Itachi grabbed his father's arm preventing any possible reactions.

The situation was unbearable for Mikoto. It gave her chills. It was simply her worst nightmare.

Pushed by her unlimited despair, she leaped like a lionless running to protect her kids.

Just before crossig their gazes she heard her husband snarl:

'Stay out of this!'

Lips shaped in a slient "O", she froze letting passage for distress to eat her core.

'Tou-San...I can't blame you for anything you do to me...I'm aware of the fact that I'm a traitor who failed the coup d'état of his clan...but treating Kaa-San this way and laying a hand on Sasuke is something that I can never accept'

Itachi grumbled gripping tighter on his father's arm and that was pushing Fugaku further beyond.

Strong and suffocating, silence skulked again making air denser in her way.

It was when Fugaku decided to cut through the deep hush again that the situation became worse...

'Being by the side of a traitor makes you a traitor'

Itachi averted down his head as he threatened;

'Sasuke...and Kaa-san are traitors THEN?'

 _I'll just put an end to things..._

As he tossed it back a bright red shined in his spinning eyes making the surrounding air even heavier. Sasuke just kept watching the anoesis situation unable to move.

It was the second time that Sasuke assisted his brother turn on his Mangekyõ.

 _Things can not be handled anymore..._

All his muscles tensed up preparing for a possible fight when a howl of his brother got him back to his senses.

'NII-SAN, STOP IT!'

It was like a déjà vu for everyone. Again, something got Itachi begging on his knees and hands for forgiveness.

Nonchalantly, Fugaku passed by and left the house, violently closing the door behind him.

Once outside, everyone restarted breathing.

Mikoto ran to Itachi who was coughing randomly and snaked her arms around him. Her heart shattered apart in millions of pieces, she let the warm drops fall again...

Sasuke froze from shock; the weeps of his his powerless mother were the only thing he could hear and the blood oozing between his brother's lips who tried to desperately hide it with his palms the only thing he could see.

Lonliness was the unique thought wandering in Sasuke's's mind...

Rapidly, more thoughts joined...

Fear, loss, grief, distress, uselessness...

Everything switched black in his sights. He needeed to flee. This was his worst habbit; when things don't go the way he wants he runs and runs, away from everything, stabs reality and escapes.

His legs moved unwillingly riding him to quit home.

'Nii-San you are a lier'

Sasuke whisper shouted before rushing towards the main door.

_

Clouds started to splatter apart making a way for the warm rays of sunset to embrace the ground.

Warm and bright like the sparkles of a chimney these rays sneaked to Itachi's room then tickled his flawless face.

Itachi, traumatized, opened his eyes and squatted down as if he woke up from his worst nightmare.

The humid towel fell of his forehead. He panted lightly with one unique thought swimming in his head; Sasuke.

'You're finally awake!'

Mikoto tenderly said as she faintly smiled to her son. She grabbed the towel and scrubbed his face wiping out the small drops of sweet popping out of his forehead.

'Kaa-san...Where's Sasuke?'

She patted his thigh.

'Kakashi-san sent Pacon and told me that he is in a hold of things...They are now out for a B rank mission and things will be fine'

Her answer was a source of relief. Itachi collapsed on bed breathing heavily.

 _I should meditate for a new lie..._

Trying desperately to pull himself out of bed, Itachi struggled to move his limbs. Mikoto noticed and fixed him on the mattress by pressing lightly on his shoulders.

'I missed today's mission...I have to apologi-'

'Don't worry darling, Tsunade-sama won't mind...She is a medic ninja and she will be comprehensive...'

 _exactly...I don't want her to notice..._

Then some harsh knocks with a rough out-raged shouting voice coming from outside made their skins shudder:

'UCHIHA ITACHIIII!!'

 _She won..._

Mikoto rushed to see who was behind the door. Her eyes widened in surprise when two swollen breasts welcomed her. The blondie in a hold of the village smiled to her and stepped in.

Shizune -arms wrapped around Tonton- apologized for the Hokage's rudeness bowing her head to Mikoto who giggled softly and said it was ok.

Tsunade -breasts jumping up and down with each step- wiggled to the young Uchiha's room as she shouted again:

'WHERE ARE YOU?'

Her mad voice was giving him chills. But seeing her frowning as she entered his room was the scariest.

'Godaime I deeply apologize for being abse-'

'Idiot! I'm not here to blame you for a stupid thing like missing a mission but I might go berserk on you because you are ill and still refusing my help...'

'It's nothing...I'll heal soo-'

'Stupid! You can lie to everyone about your illness but not me...We all know it's deadly'

Her words felt like sharpen blades cutting through the heart for Mikoto who swam in silent tears. When Itachi told her she couldn't believe but now It's an unblemished reality since the most skilled medic in the five nations admitted it.

'Sorry'

Itachi bowed his head and continued:

'Hope you respect my decision, Godaime...'

'A slow suicide...then?'

'Ah'

Tsunade walked to him and lifted his pullover then dragged it over his head.

It made him quite embarrassed since there was a lot of females in the room but it wasn't the situation in which he was allowed to feel embarrassment.

Gently the Hokage plastered her palm on his naked bossom as an emerald chakra surrounded her hand.

Silence sat on the throne of the scene for few minutes.

Once she finished checking, Tsunade pulled her hand and bit her thumbnail.

'I still can heal you...Itachi you have one week to think about your decision. During this period of time you won't be having missions or any thing that might distract your thinking...let's go Shizune!'

Tsunade declared as she turned and moved on.

Soft and chopping like a lake waves, her words reached Mikoto as a light of hope.

'Hai!'

Shizune nodded as she followed her mistress.

While crossing the hallway, they met Sasuke who laid on a nearby wall. He heard everything, his facial expression said so.

Tsunade left the Uchiha family's house mumbling:

'Aaah damn it! I wanted him to be the Hokage after me...'

'What about kakashi-san'

'Kakashi? NO. NO. NO. Since he is a fan of Jiraya's books there is no way I can choose him to be a Hokage'

_

When Itachi thought he could finally be alone he heard some footsteps getting closer. Mikoto glanced at the room door; Sasuke was standing emotionless. His expression was impossible to read.

'I need to talk to him alone...Kaa-san'

Sasuke demanded coolly.

Mikoto, -surprised- nodded and stepped out of the room sliding the door closed behind her; Sasuke is old enough and he wants to talk to his elder alone, she could understand it but she wondered if he heard what Tsunade said.

 _In that case...we should tell him the truth..._

Sasuke strode closer. Once near Itachi, he slapped him with all his might.

Itachi glanced at his baby brother and noticed the accumulated tears in the corner of his eyes. The elder covered the rosy handprint on his cheek then babbled:

'S-sasu-?'

'If you are going to say another lie I'm over it Itachi...'

'S-sor-'

'Shut up!'

 _What's with everyone interrupting me today? and my baby brother slapped me...Itachi your pride is gone for good..._

Sasuke whispered as his sobs suffocated him. Itachi was able to hear his own heart thumping so fast. _Was it fear of losing Sasuke?_

His arms reluctantly slid to embrace Sasuke's neck then pull his head to his chest where Sasuke kept weeping like a lost lonely child. Itachi brushed his brother's raven spiky hair as he heard him mumble:

'I hate you...Nii-san'

Sasuke couldn't just imagine a life without Itachi.

'Stop hiding your feelings Sasuke'

'I'll do when you stop hiding your pain!'

Itachi pushed sasuke a bit as he raised his pinky smiling.

It was the first time Itachi truely smiled.

'Then, promise me to never hide your feelings and I will promise to never hide my pain Otouto'

Sasuke's eyes widned and a hue of pink adorned his cheeks as he swirled his pinky around Itachi's uttering affectionately:

'I promise...Nii-san'

 _I can't die now...Sasuke,_ _forgive me...I was selfish and I denied my duties...I still have many precious things to protect...I thought dying would solve it, but I can't just let things the way they are...Yet..._

At that time, Snow ceased to fall...

~~~~~~~

 **AN:** I always thought it would be possible for Itachi to heal if Tsunade was there...And m gonna make it happen in the next chapters...

this story takes events during the period of time in which Tsunade was Hokage so you can guess Itachi is about 19 and Sasuke 14...

 **PS: review please...**


	4. Life

Sasuke grabbed the blanked wrapped around his brother and forcingly slid it away. Itachi -thighs brought to his torso- squirmed moaning:

'Hmm...Sasuke, It's cold. Why?'

'We are looking for Tsunade to heal you'

Itachi clenched his legs and poured his face beneath his knees curling up into a ball. Trying desperately to convince his brother he whimpered:

'It's still early...May be, we can leave it for next time, can't we?'

Sasuke, frowned and crossed his arms, then howled:

'Itachi stop it with the "May be next time" thing look at yourself, you're not even able to poke my forehead! You're at the edge of death and you're still running away!'

Itachi haussed an eyebrow as his lips parted a bit in surprise.

 _You know Sasuke is serious when he looses his cool mode..._

He couldn't help but let those chuckles escape between his lips. Sasuke -still struggling with his feelings- blushed an adorable hue of pink, pouted reluctantly and slid his gaze to everywhere but Itachi's eyes.

'What are you laughing about?'

The long-haired Uchiha grinned, shrugged then mumbled hoarsely:

'You're just too cute'

Those words added layers of pink to Sasuke's cheeks. desperately trying to re-change the topic that Itachi has already changed, he babbled with an allien-like language:

'Enough now! Hurry up and change your clothes...We are going'

Itachi clutched the fabric on his tighs and forced a smile to sneak between his lips. Sasuke finally regained bravery to look at him right in the eyeballs; pain was piled and mounted in those eyes, the mere stare could tell that he was feeling a kind of sharpen blades piercing through his flesh. In his silence Sasuke was able to hear the million whimpers blocked in his brother's throat. Sasuke was of the type that responded to silence by silence but It wasn't a situation in which he could do so. Itachi broke it first with an ironic question:

'Do you think...I'm able to dress up or move in this situation?'

 _What's this feeling...Am I admitting weakness in front of Sasuke? no I shouldn't be doing this...I have to try harder and show him that I'm fi-_

'About...moving, I'll piggyback you...'

Itachi's eyes widened slightly. The pink on Sasuke's cheeks reddened as it spread allover his face.

 _Huh?_

Before a palpable answer could be found, Sasuke shut his brother with one more "weird" declaration:

'And...there is no way I'll get out with you while you're wearing that kitten pyjamas'

 _So that's what is bothering you in the whole thing?_

'Piggybacking you is enough embarrassing...'

 _That's expected from you Otouto..._

'But isn't it cute? Look at them? Aren't they pretty adorable?'

Itachi said while pointing at some kittens in his pullover. Sasuke gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, frowned; he wanted to punch Itachi right in the face but the reason wasn't strong enough to do so. Itachi has always had that child slumbering beneath his calm persona, and such situations were the best for him to wake up.

 _Calm down Sasuke..._

 ** _But thereis no way I can piggyback Itachi while he's wearing that damned pyjamas!_**

'Then it's decided'

'Hum?'

'I'll...dress you up by myself'

Sasuke murmured, almost whispering, Itachi still bemused remained motionless, he wanted to laugh, but seeing the tomato-face his brother was making he had to hold it and nod.

Itachi glanced at the Uchiha Crest on the back of the turtleneck sweater Sasuke has thrown on the bed; it gave him the worst memories, when he was about to commit the worst murder of his life. He recalled the pression, the tension, the leaking humanity, the lonliness, the agony of that sinister night. It was a miracle that the clan survived, a godly bless that reversed the situation. He is still thankful about that "mishap"...It was the best thing that had occurred to him that had been may be the worst nightmare for others.

Sasuke's hands sneaking to slide his jogger pants gave him shivers that skulked allover his body waking him up from his double-edged memories.

Silence in the throne again, Sasuke stared blankly at the bulge in his brother's boxers. Staring and staring...Itachi was waiting for him to shove his gaze away but that wasn't the case...

 _So that's the dick of nineteen-years old boy? I see why it doesn't stop growing bigger now..._

'Sasuke! Sasuke!'

He winced.

'What are you looking at?'

'N-Nothing...'

Itachi fondled his sooty curls and winked joking:

'If you wanted to see you just had to tell me and I'd make you see it naked'

 _Itachi damn...you perv!_

Sasuke's face became a rainbow shaded of red, pink, purple, amaranth...Itachi had to hold his laughters one more time and comfort his Aniki:

'I know that you're just trying to discover, I'll be always there to make you understand life, isn't that what an older brother should do?'

 _life?_


	5. Darker than black

Both were wrapped in long coats with furr adorning their hoodies. Rosy pink plastered their noses whispering to them softly that it was so cold. Small contrails told the same as they formed then faded in the froasting air each time they exhaled. Snow crunched whenever Sasuke's feet embraced the white road. He was randomly humming questions to Itachi in order to keep him awake.

Piggybacking him wasn't tiring; after all his Nii-san was skinny, weight loss did too much to his weak body. The Hokage tower still seemed too far as the sky colored itself in hues of purplish blue shouting out that the day was almost over.

'Itachi...Itachi!'

'you still with me?'

Sasuke could feel his brother's chin rubbing against his shoulder; he was nodding. Such a weird situation; Sasuke was carrying instead of being carried. _Is it life wanting things to go vice-versa?_

'Then, what happened five years ago?...You know...Since then, Tou-san have been acting violently...things are messed...I always see Kaa-san crying...'

Itachi's consciousness was slowly vanishing. Gathering words became a chore to do. But he had to answer. Wasn't he the one who promised to never hide his pain again? Wasn't that the worst kind of pain he had ever witnessed?

'U-Uchiha clan...'

'What's with the clan?'

'They planned a coup d'etat...five years...ago...'

Sasuke kept tramping to the tour nonchalant of what his Nii-san did just say. He couldn't believe it but when Itachi said something while sleeping or in a drowsy state, it was always a fact. Sasuke noticed a long time ago that Itachi talks during his slumber, it was funny as a habbit but it remained a weapon Sasuke used to know anything he wanted. Itachi knew it so he avoided sleeping near his brother most of the time...till he fell for it the previous night.

'Then?'

With each step, the elder's raven pony tail danced on his back. The conciseness he tried to desperately keep has now totally faded. The blank in his mind grew till black ruled his sight sinking him deep into a shade of some color darker than ebony. Sasuke noticed as he stopped to adjust Itachi's legs a bit; his body didn't show any resistance it was like the snow underfeet, easy to mold and form in the shape you want.

'It's okay, Nii-san...Sleep well, we will be soon there...'


	6. Suffocating

Night has spread its black wings allover the sky, the Hokage tower was so close. It was pretty exhausting for Sasuke to stride from the Uchiha district in the borders of Konohagakure to the other border where his destination was located.

Snow restared to float down from the sky lazily, He had to hurry.

He stopped, raised his head and glared at the gloomy clouds above; Nothing of the surroundings was cheerful. He spew a deep sigh that was shaped later into a tiny cloud of blurry vapor.

There was some noise. It was getting closer. A familiar rough voice of a woman, and another one of a female that he didn't know as much as the first. One was drunk, the other was calmly ordering:

'Tsunade-sama! You're the Hokage! Try to be a little bit formal and stop gulping from the bottle!'

Sasuke jogged to the bar in front of him. When he thought he has stormed in, something warm and soft engulfed his nose and embraced his cheeks in a steady pace. The smell of Sake rapidly knocked in his head. He opened his eyes and realized he was cought in the Hokage's cleavage.

'Uchiha's brat, then?'

Sasuke winced blushing faintly. Shizune popped out with Tonton sleeping in her folded arms.

'Itachi-san and Sasuke?'

Tsunade signed for Sasuke to follow her. He did. She strode to the hospital. In their way silence was the empror but not for so long before Sasuke interrogated:

'What was Itachi's illness?'

Shizune glared at her Shishou telling her stealthily that it wouldn't be good to say it in front of him. Tsunade was from the honest and direct type. She just declared with an unreadable tone:

'MPA'

Sasuke tilted his head and re-asked:

'MPA?'

Tsunade exhaled a deep sigh then explained:

'Its explication is complicated but I'll sum up things. It's some sort of blood vessel inflammation. There are types of MPA and your brother has the worst of them. Normal people can be healed or at worst we can delay the illness from taking over through medication. But MPA is different when things come to a Shinobi'

Sasuke hummed for her to continue.

'MPA can cause the Chakra vessels inflammation too. It's eating him from the inside and he has already many affected inner organs. Medication is no longer a solution. We need a surgery in which we will replace the damaged organs and heal the affected vessels with chakra. The treatment won't stop here. He will have to take medicines for two or three years. This won't be the end, there is a possibility of the disease coming back. Well that will be the case if he survived.'

Her words came like a thunder storm on Sasuke's heart, pessimistic and ravaging everything related to term 'hope'.

'If he...survived?'

'The chance of the operation success do not surpass thirty percent at the best of conditions'

Sasuke gritted his teeth. A wave of countless feelings washed the bit of hope remaining in him. Then A film named "life without Nii-san" flashed in his mind.

Shizune declared that they reached the hospital when Sasuke shook his head to wipe away his thoughts.

They walked in; a nurse stood and bowed to Tsunade welcoming her. Shizune asked for a free room. The woman wearing in white uttered:

'106'

_

One last time he glared at his Nii-san wrapped in the white blankets of the hospital. The serum needle digged into his waist, Itachi slept calmly. Sasuke felt a huge burden sitting on his heart and the stirring of something in his eyes. He was at the edge. When he remembered what the Hokage said.

He swam in silent tears. The sight was suffocating him.

Itachi had to remain for a weak in the hospital before the operation. Tsunade needed to prepare a team of her most skilled medic Ninjas. Sakura Haruno, Izumi Uchiha, Shizune and more made part of the team.


	7. Her glare

**_22nd Of December_**

《 'I suspect he will come after my right eye so I'll give it to you...'

 _Shisui..._

'You're the only one I can call my best friend...Protect the village and the Uchiha name...Both of them'

'Alright...I accept it...What will you do now?'

'If I die many things will change'

'SHISUI WAIT!'

'Don't try to stop me if you're truely my friend...'》

 _The same dream again...Mattaku..._

Itachi lazily opened his eyes, these sparkled welcoming the sunlight sneaking from the window. Since that incident, he woke up every morning to the same image over and over again. It was his deepest regret. His ego swore on torturing him for his sin and made him see his best friend dying repeatedly.

He let his gaze hang around analyzing the place he laid in; white sheets, white matress, white walls, white furniture, white ceramic tiles. His mind was still blank and puzzled.

 _Am I in a fridge?_

The last memory swimming in his head was Sasuke piggybacking him. Then slowly he stared recalling why, when, where...His gaze slid to meet the serum bag then the tube which led to his right wraist that felt tingly since he regained his consciousness. His glare then fell on the empty chair beside his bed.

 _Sasuke..._

He needed to move, the urge to urinate told him so.

Sitting down, slowly moving one leg then dragging the other; his body seemed strangely lighter and the tension in his muscles reduced to a level at which it was hardly noticed. He needed to get rid of the needle, he never dealt with medical stuff before so he just pulled it out careless about the tiny blood drops leaking from the sting surface.

Nonchalantly, he strolled in the hallway; hands in his pockets, dark locks tickling his cheeks with each step. He was rolling his eyes right and left in the hope of finding his prey; toilet.

 _On a mission...No...I don't think so...Sasuke will definitely tell me if he had to go..._

Something bumping into him wiped away his thoughts. He averted his head down; a girl, probably at the same age as him, wearing a surgeon uniform, white gloves smeared by blood splashes, surgical mask hanging on her neck. Judging by the look on her face; she was witnessing one of the worst sights in her life. Something about her was familiar; that brown long hair, he have seen it before somewhere. It was so long, it surpassed her hips. She raised her head to eye him; a curl of her hair sat playfully on her nose separating two red irises glaring coldly; a glare of a female lost in this twisted world.

Itachi winced excusing, in a way he allowed himself to see her more clearly. His eyes widened slightly when they met hers; _Sharingan?_

Her well shaped eyes and long lashes added more nostalgia to the situation. When Itachi intended to talk she grumbled:

'If it's the W.C...then it's on your left by the end of the hallway'

Before being able to react, she restarted trotting in the opposite direction. He stood for seconds following her with his eyes; his heart grew sore twitching and twitching between his lungs. Wondering why, he sighed whispering "Mattaku" as he strolled again to his destination.


	8. Team seven

_Dying would make things better. Wouldn't it? After all, his grave would be a source of delight to many Uchihas and it would prevent them from harming Sasuke or Mikoto. But he had to do it, he had to stay alive for them, Shisui and the few people who backed him up. He had to protect. He had to remove the word "war" from existence._

Another snowy day in Konohagakure has begun. The long-haired Uchiha ran the water filling his folded palms then scrubbed his face gently. Nothing was better than cold water embracing his skin; so humidifying and freshing. He shifted afterwards to his ponytail unhooking it then tying it back to tuck his loosened hairs. Finally the last step; glaring into the mirror in order to check if everything was perfect. That step had another importance for Itachi wich was self-recognition. Lately, that process was piecemeal easing; he became able to set a path for his life, an old path that he once shared with his deceased bestie.

He stepped out of the W.C sliding the door closed behind him. In his way back to his room he heard some familiar voice chatting trivially with two teenage voices that he has never heard before. If his memory didn't betray him the identifiable one should belong to his Former ANBU captain; Kakashi.

He trotted towards the room door moving his right hand out of his pocket then gently knocked on the door. He needed to introduce himself so he just uttered affectionately:

'Kakashi-san, this is me, Itachi.'

The Genin Sensei showed no reaction for seconds in which a flow of questions quaked his mind before humming for him to enter;

 _Itachi? Was he even alive? He didn't show up for years. More importantly, what is he doing here...Well there's no alternative way to know but to ask him directly_

A girl with glamorous rosy hair and light green eyes -So light that it seemed like she cried too much causing the green to whiten- was holding a portfolio close to her chest and standing at the head of Kakashi's bed. There was also some blond boy squatting near his Sensei's legs. His facial expression and features were kind of funny. All eyes glanced at him when he entered as if they were waiting for someone else and fate deceived them. Kakashi spoke first:

'Yo!'

His former captain casted him the usual smile however the pink-haired girl kept staring at him with sadness locked in her glare. Judging from the description Sasuke made to him, she should be Haruno Sakura, his brother's most loyal fangirl and the grinning boy should be Minato's son, the kyuubi's Jinchūriki; Uzumaki Naruto.

Once Itachi finished with recognizing everyone in the room he greeted them then asked, delivering his gaze to the Genin Sensei:

'Kakashi-san...What are you doing here?'

Kakashi closed his Icha Icha book and giggled nervously but before even intending to talk naruto rushed to answer:

'Kakashi Sensei ends up in the hospital after each mission...Mattaku'

Kakashi, trying to regain his scattered pride in front of Itachi he whimpered:

'That Sharingan is not mine, overuse drags me always here...See see I can move but Sakura is nagging that I should remain in bed for a whole week'

Itachi could guess that he was pouting beneath his mask. For reassurance, he warmly wished for him to be fine as soon as possible.

Sakura clenched tighter on the portfolio as she glared at Itachi; Tsunade has already talked to her about the surgery and honestly things weren't hopeful at all. She felt the twitching of something in her heart while wondering why shall death take those who are characterized by angelic features; beauty, charm and cheerfulness. She didn't know Itachi that much but she noticed how he waited for his brother at the Academy, how much he cared about him, how he would come to his assistance although the life of an ANBU captain was supposed to be hell itself.

Sakura set her feet in this world again when the exigency of a medical report knocked in her head; she needed Izumi to report the surgery she was leading but -like every time- she was nowhere to be found. Sakura tried her chance and asked Itachi:

'Itachi-san, did you see Izumi senpai? She is an uchiha I guess you might know her, she's brown-haired with this height'

Sakura raised her hand few centimeters above her scalp showing Itachi how tall her senpai was.

On the spot, he recognized her. How come he has forgotten her! But it wasn't his fault, after all, she has changed a lot. His mind rained questions, too many questions that couldn't be answered. There was Sakura, he had to reply her. So, he nodded in response and shared with her the few information he knew.

Itachi -still under the shock of izumi's sudden reappearance in his life- interrogated if anyone has seen Sasuke. They all answered with a 'No'.

He was about to take his leave when Naruto leaped in front of him, hands playing in his Htai-ate.

'Ano sa Ano sa! Itachi Sensei!'

 _Sensei?_

'I've heard that you can use a strong Genjutsu. Please! Teach me!'

_

 _ **AN:** Sakura was asked to learn medical ninjutsu by Tsunade for her high level of Chakra control to fill the lack of doctors in the hospital after orochimaru's attack. Itachi was back then on a mission and the Uchiha clan was able to reduce the damage._

 _T_ _hings will be clarified within the next chapters. Izumi Uchiha became a doctor for another reason that will be mentioned in the next chapter._


	9. The mask has fallen

_Will you come back_

 _No one knows_

 _I realized it was only just a dream_

Because like crows in the gusts of wind he faded, Itachi was able to let everyone in the room wonder with no palpable answers. The sere look he casted to Naruto and the way he fondled his blond locks and smiled faintly apologizing refused forsaking Sakura's mind.

His look bemused her, that look tainted by nothingness with hues of sadness, that look of his which could throw any kind of pain in the deepest of oceans, that look, able to shift from the emptiest to the fullest of delight in the blinking of an eye. She couldn't just understand what was he made of.

Kakashi noticed the perplexion she was living inside her head. He was smart enough to guess the reason and ask to make sure his hypothesis was true:

'Is he one of your patients?'

In a slow pace, she nodded leaving the room as her gaze gloomed. Naruto -obviously- couldn't understand the sudden change in Sakura's mood. Kakashi added to his confusion when he said sighing:

'That's a doctor's life after all'

_

Itachi was welcomed with a familiar scent when he trotted back into his room; _Sasuke has been there._ On his night table, there were three of his favourite books. The sight warmed his frozen heart but not for so long because he needed _Sasuke not the books_. It enhanced his -already overflowing- worry. He grabbed his coat and ran in the hallways of the hospital reaching the reception then the main door.

A congealing breeze welcomed him as it pierced his skin. The first breath was a burden stirring and burning within his sensitive lungs. He was soon getting used to it as he exhaled and inhaled the surrounding cold air. He followed the garden path gazing right and left as he panted lightly; Sasuke was still out of sights.

Snow gently rested on his raven curls and shoulders. Konoha was still dressed in white; _And what did he expect? After all it was December._

His body was betraying him stealthily. He couldn't find Sasuke before falling to weakness again. Itachi trekked to a nearby tree on which he leant his back and closed his eyes meditating for a solution.

Some whimpers tickled his ears; the whimpers of a desperate needy girl. He gazed behind the tree to see Izumi sobbing loudly on a garden sofa. She was alone and hopeless, they were in the same condition, just different levels. He padded to her and she realized someone was about to see what was behind the cold glare's mask.

The snow crunch got closer and she was too grieved to stop her weeps.

Izumi hid her tears beneath folded hands and gritted her teeth forbidding her shrieks from quitting her lips.

Her heart twisted in her chest sending millions of shivers to skulk on her skin when she heard him call her name. It was the first time in years. She's even forgotten when was the last time they've met. His husky hoarse voice, it didn't change it was always enough to make her insides melt like the snow in a spring morning.

 _It was him; Itachi, her first and unique love, he was there, he sat next to her and called her: Izumi._

Lips shaped in a thin line, he glared at her; a glare shaded by sadness. He didn't know what to do or say. His mind went blank. Both had a lot to say but none was able to utter a single letter.

Seeming like hours in the worlds of their drifted souls, seconds passed by in a non-stop pace.

Itachi knew it; he knew she was on the edge of her strength roof and he had to make her fall so that he can catch her.

And he was capable of drowning her with a mere mumble:

'Don't suppress your feelings, Izumi'

She eyed him with tears falling down her cheeks like a tiny waterfall. Her Sharingan was still on, but staring closely, it wasn't a normal one but rather a Mangekyõ.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise when she poured her face in his chest and restarted sobbing like a lost child who has just bumped into his mummy.

Itachi felt like crying but he had to remain high in order to grab her hand and drag her back to strength. So, he embraced her tighter against him and tenderly hummed to her slow soothing words.

 _I was thinkin' about you, thinkin' about me_

 _thinkin' about us, what we gonna be_

 _open my eyes, it was only_

 _just a dream..._


	10. Doctor by necessity

Snow kept floating down like her tears. She needed him and he was right there cradling her. Nothing was more soothing than the mixture of his scent and warmth steadily wrapping her. He was her hell and her heaven, it has been always that way; their relationship had no shades or hues.

She clenched tighter on the fabric covering his back. Her constant gripping whispered to him how much she missed and needed him, how much sorrow she's hidden along his absence. All was giving him a new reason to hate himself even more.

But she didn't complain about his non-existence. Never ever she did, because she loved him with a pure heart -a truly blind love. He knew it, however his life was a bridge standing tall between them. Fate broke it at times and allowed them to meet, even so, it was never for so long.

His glare slid down to meet her walnut glossy hair that was adorned by some flicks of fluffy snow. He rubbed his index against her soft locks, unable to win against the urge of fondling them.

He waited for her to calm down. Itachi was aware that he was her only cure and he had no reluctance about healing her wounded soul. He knew what was exactly the necessary remedy therefore he tightened his hug and plastered his reddish lips on her forehead. She winced as he kissed her deeply, breathing softly in her glamorous curls. When he recoiled, he noticed a rosy rhombique figure between her eyebrows; _Byakugou?_

 _Honestly, she didn't cease to surprise him..._

He smirked forcingly when he saw the cute blush taking over her cheeks. Then it faded when he asked her:

'What's wrong, Izumi...'

She bowed her head and gazed away tightening her fists on the wood beneath her. After a long hush she whispered:

'Nothing'

Itachi stared at her, eyes gleaming in affection with hues of sorrow. He knew there was no use in forcing her to talk since it will deepen her scars. _May be changing the topic would make her feel better._

'How is Hazuki-san?'

Izumi's eyes gloomed even more as she babbled in a moanful tone:

'She...died...'

He felt his heart skip a beat. _Hazuki-san...Died?_

He didn't need to inquire, she knew it was a shock, she just had to answer all the questions swimming in his head as a way to ease things on him.

'I couldn't save her...'

She gritted her teeth harder.

'Her heart was right in my hands when it stopped beating and...'

A lump in her throat suffocated her when the warm drops crossed her face again. She cupped her forehead interlocking her fingers with the hairs falling on her face.

'A doctor by necessity can never save a life...'

Itachi watched her quietly with a sorrowful worried glare. _He didn't mean to add more to her pain._ His silence was a mere shield covering his distress. Hazuki; he couldn't recall any harm coming from her, she was kind, beautiful and cheerful just like her daughter.

Izumi inhaled filling her lungs wholly; she relied on oxygen to lift the burden upon chest.

She couldn't hide her grief more, the images of blood spreading on her hands, the breathless bodies thrown in front of her, the human organs between her fists; livers, hearts, kidneys, intestines were repeatedly flashing in her memory. She wanted to die, to faint, to get amnesia, but none of her wishes was coming true. She gazed at her palms and all she saw was the liquid she hated the most. _They called it liquid of life but it was her merciless hell._

'I was needed...I was needed for my sharingan...They needed my Genjutsu as an alternative to anesthetic...But these cursed eyes can never save a life'

She whisper shouted before the total collapse of her mental strength.

'They said many patients die due to anesthetic but...I failed...'

Her eyes widened from the horror she was witnessing within her head. She lost control surrendering to a ravaging panic attack.

Itachi knew on the spot that her Sharingan was unwillingly printing, in her memory, all the surgeries she assisted alongside the death of her monther between her hands. She recalled them countless times till it created within her some kind of trauma and psychological conflicts. He felt the harshness of the daymare she was seeing. He cought her chin forcing her to eye him; Her Mangekyõ was so simple; a circle around her pupil with six tomoes on it. He had to end her suffering. He gazed at her with two spinning eyes and all what she recalled was falling in his arms.

_

 **AN:** thanks so much for the reviews. I promise to do my best and yes I'll keep going, the story is still far from its end.

I deeply apologize for the creepy style and mistakes (I've re-read the first chapters, they were awful :3 I tried to correct as many mistakes as I could but still they seem awful)

Izumi's past will be revealed in the next chapter...Enjoy ;)


	11. The tale of Izumi Uchiha

《 _She ran and ran under the black wings of the night. Darkness was a shelter hiding her from their eyes. Her bare feet were stinging with each step as they embraced the snowy road. She was afraid, there was no one protecting her from their wild harm, her home was still far, so far that she started to lose hope surrendering to the bitter reality. If he was there, would he save her? She wasn't sure since he's abandoned her years ago. He wouldn't care about a weakling like her. He was the son of the clan's leader and she was a mere unpure-blooded who fainted after each activation of Sharingan. He was getting further and she was no longer able to catch up. Frosting breeze pierced her skin spreading tingly shivers along it. Clenching her own shoulders, she strode faster nonchalant about the black ruling her sights. She was simply ready to face anything beside their lusty stares. Wincing, she gasped as a harsh grip pulled her. Then a slap came so rough on her puffy cheek. It was too rough for a fragile creature like her, therefore it dropped her to the ground. She intended to escape but they've already caught their prey. They tied her wraists with some filthy cloth and dragged her to some corner that was even darker than the rest of the surroundings. She tried to yell for help then deduced it was impossible; they've fastened a band around her mouth too. Crying was useless, she was aware of that but her tears betrayed her as they fell -reluctantly- in a non-stop pace. She could hear her heartstrings so clearly. Letting passage for fear to eat her wasn't a choice because it was too strong to control for a child like her. She heard some sound of fly unzipping then felt her own clothes being ripped off. She wanted to shout, to yell, to struggle but all of her stubbornness was absorbed in the cloth manacling her. She was too young to understand what was about to occur, even so she could guess it was something bestial and unforgivable. She almost lost hope before her mother came to her rescue, she just ran away following her mummy's orders and left her to fight alone. She never knew what happened to her mother since she's always said it was nothing and smiled brightly hiding the truth whenever Izumi inquired about that night. Days made the little girl understand that her mother has been raped instead of her. That incident obliged them to leave their house in the Uchiha district and restart a new life outside. Regret won't change the past, but determination can definitely change the future, that was how she decided to be the one who saves and protects instead of running away, it was for Itachi and Hazuki that she's thrown herself into medical books, thousands and thousands of encyclopedias and researches. Therefore, piecemeal the fruit of her labor came to embrace the light when she first healed an injured kitten using her chakra. Soon, everyone heard of her abilities and came to ask her assistance in cases of wounds and illnesses. It was that way, they acknowledged her and started seeing in her a successful Kunoichi. She was claimed by the Hokage herself to work as a doctor. She put all her might into her new job a way to prove to everyone that she was no longer that girl from the past who would cry because of the mere scratch. She trained secretly, she had a power that she couldn't use; Sharingan, wouldn't it be a waste? And so she enhanced her chakra control to a fascinating level, that resulted in her ability to keep her Sharingan active with the lowest chakra use. She didn't finish, yet. In her condition Genjutsu became a piece of cake to master so she performed it in the best and strongest of shapes. Because of that ability she was assigned as a surgeon. Anesthetizing patients and handling other tasks in operations, she achieved her duty to the fullest. It was at that time when she started seeing bloody nightmares and traumatizing daymares. She was aware that her copy wheel eye was memorizing the surgeries she assisted -unwillingly. She knew her mental health was collapsing but she had to force herself to keep going, she had to save those lives, she had to prove that Sharingan wasn't made to kill but rather to protect. She did well controlling her traumas till that final shattering blow; the death of her mother between her hands. That mishap proved to her that all her thoughts and attitudes were wrong, that she was still weak and unable to protect. That scene never forsook her mind and she had to live with it and keep fighting. There was still one person she had to back up, somebody she willed to be acknowledged by and she had to reach him no matter what it takes because he was the unique remaining reason glueing her to this world. She kept going with the scars deepening day by day. She awakened her Mangekyõ and she couldn't afford enough chakra to manipulate it. It was another weapon she couldn't use. Throwing herself again into a new survival training, she begged the Hokage to teach her the use of Byakugou. She was called powerless, useless, scum but she never gave up. Three years later she achieved her greatest success having two ultimate arms: Byakugou and Mangekyo. Combining them enabled her to use one of the strongest Genjutsus by the side of Tsukuyomi and Kotoamatsukami which was Kusanagi, a ninjutsu of Amaterasu's level named Kuraokami and the ultimate shield; Susanoo. That was how Izumi Uchiha became one of the strongest Kunoichis ever to exist._ 》

Itachi closed his eyes firmly savouring the pain he saw through Izumi's memories after knocking her out with Genjutsu. When he was fighting in his own path, she was doing the same in a different way. But their goal was the same; peace. He knew since their childhood times that she wanted nothing but helping him achieve his ambitions.

 _She became a medic Ninja in order to heal his wounds. She kept going through everything just because she had faith in him. All what she did was for him, and just for the sake of the dream they both shared with Shisui not so long ago. When he chose to surrender and give his soul to death, she was struggling against traumas and fears. When he hid beneath his ANBU mask, she was blooming, she was showing to everyone what truely laid behind her cute face. She seemed weak but none was weaker than him who ran away hiding in the underground tunnels of the Black Oops. He thought dying would protect Sasuke from the agony of his clan. He was just too dumbed by self-sacrifice...But what he was about to commit was nothing but fleeing and surrendering to the urge of dying because he regretted not saving Shisui. Izumi was the one to wake him up from his stupid philosophies_

Itachi held her firmly in his arms then trekked back to the hospital. His eyes never quitting her, he realized the flaw in his own plans. The way he was glaring at her symbolised love in its purest form.

 _He should stop taking all the responsibility alone and rather become open to everyone. Lately he's forgotten about his friends. Even if Shisui passed away, it didn't mean he was alone. Dying would reduce the stress on his father and it would keep his brother and mother away from harm but there was no guarantee that they wont rebel again, that a war won't break out, that his death wouldn't be enough to satisfy the Uchiha's greed..._

Sakura padded out of the main door; her day at work was over, after all she was still an apprentice and hospital job wasn't her main duty as a Chunnin. The cherry blossom queen -as they nicknamed her- gasped when she met Itachi:

'Izumi-san!?'

She jogged closer staring at the fainted girl. Affliction felt obvious on her face as she questioned:

'What happened to her?'

Shrugging, Itachi casted her a faint malicious smile.

'Who knows? I found her knocked out.'

His smile perplexed her but the fact that it was Uchiha Itachi reassured her. He leant slightly trusting Izumi to the hands of Sakura who intended to hold her senpai.

'Take care of her, I have to look for Sasuke...'

Hearing what he said, Sakura frowned and she pulled her hands, Itachi was about to drop Izumi when he clutched her rapidly glancing in bemusement at Sakura and her odd reaction.

'What? Is she too heavy for you?'

'Baka!'

Snarling, Sakura thrusted her fist in his scalp. Itachi blinked then haussed an eyebrow; her attitude was growing too odd for him. She then plastered her right palm by the side of her waist.

 _She looks more like a teakettle now..._

Sakura closed her eyes pouting then declared with a serious tone:

'You're not allowed to leave the hospital plus...'

Glaring at him, she continued with a softer tone:

'The pain killer's effect should be fading, if we didn't inject it into your veins it would be impossible for you to stand now.'

Itachi sighed as he seemed to accept somehow what she said. He glanced at Izumi then at Sakura and before uttering a single letter the cherry blossom queen strode quitting him.

'If it's Sasuke-kun I'll bring him to you'

'He has been here not so long ago, you will find him nearby...'

She waved her hand as goodbye and kept walking straight ahead coolly but inside, her inner was dancing salsa in delights.

 ** _I'm bringing Sasuke-kun to his brother! Shanarooo!_**

'Where shall I put her?'

'Izumi-san? Wherever you want will be fine. Tell her to deliver her report when she wakes up.'

 _Huh?_

She turned and winked to him then moved on again. Itachi kept staring at her blankly as she vanished from his sights, his lips parting from displeasure and embarrassment.

 _Where the hell would he put her? Well if he just storms in with her in his arms someone would notice and take her to a fine place..._

Therefore, he just entered the hospital and walked with certain steps refusing to gaze at anyone. All conversations shut down as all eyes fixed him; there was too many stares of curiosity. He advanced and whispers stared to fill the reception;

 _So this is the charming prince of Uchiha Izumi?...Is she ok? She's been so close to herself lately...Is she ill?...Who's that boy, I've never seen him before...Daaamn he's too sexy but it looks like he's into Izumi-san..._

Itachi -blushing faintly and irritated- rushed to his room avoiding their heavy unbearable stares. They weren't aware of his existence before. Things were going to become messy now since they noticed him but he didn't care. He laid Izumi on his matress with infinite tenderness, covered her with his blanket then sprawled on the nearby sofa with one of the three books in his hand. One last time, he stared at her allowing himself better access to her features; her face didn't change as much as her body that has become so curvy and womanly. He observed her lips amused by the way they parted in each breath. Her state made him think that putting her under Genjutsu was may be a bad idea. But, the serenity that plastered her face gave him source of relief.

_

 **AN:** In the light novel Itachi shinden: book of dark night there were many scenes proving that Itachi loved Izumi but his life was too busy and full of responsibilities to care about his feelings. You can guess by reading that this fanfiction is basically drawing a better future for Itachi who lived an unfair life in the original series. So I'm giving him a chance in these chapters and the next ones, to be open and share his feelings with everyone including Izumi -his childhood love. I had to change a bit in Izumi's past and abilities because that will be needed in the future events. Also, I always wanted to see a strong female Uchiha :')

I'll be focusing on another underrated character which is Mikoto Uchiha. She's gonna be a main character in the story and that's going to start apart from the next chapter.

In the following two chapters, the circumstances that stopped the coup d'état will be explained as far as Orochimaru's attack.

Feel free to correct my mistakes or share your thoughts and disagreements with me.

 _Enjoy and thanks 3_


	12. The Uchiha's sorceress - Prologue

Panting lightly, The cherry blossom queen laid her back against an iced trunk. She's been looking for Sasuke's whereabouts for more than an hour but he was no where to be found. Sakura was really excited about dragging her crush to his brother and such a thing wouldn't stop her. It was decided; she'll bring him even if it meant padding to the Uchiha district.

_

Half an hour passed and she was standing in front of the main gate leading to the Uchiha's department. Glancing at the emblem largely drawn on the portals, Sakura inhaled deeply trying to accumulate some determination. And with eyes gleaming in boldness, she stormed in.

Every set of eyes stared at her in disgrace, but nothing of the sort would shake her certainty. Sakura's never walked in there before, she didn't even know where his house was located. Yet, she kept going.

 _She needed to ask about his residence but would those harsh glares reply her?_

Feeling the atmosphere tensing up, she strode faster. She didn't know what did she do to deserve such a welcome. She was about to turn and leave when she heard the voice of an old woman calling her. Gazing at her she was waving for Sakura to come into her grocery store. She jogged in without the mere hesitation; she needed a sheild from those death glares. The old woman smiled to the cherry blossom queen and friendly asked her:

'What are you doing here my dear?'

Trying desperately to hide her bemusement she replied faking a smile:

'I'm looking for Itachi-san's house...'

The old woman crawled near Sakura and caressed the pink hairs falling on her cheeks then patted her shoulders soothing:

'Don't worry. I'm not holding any agony towards non Uchihas. Lately racism has grown so strong here. I'll tell you about Itachi's house but in your way, never talk to anyone or tell them that you're going there. Itachi is considered a traitor and everyone is threatening him side by side to the people close to him. Well that doesn't include an old woman like me'

Winking, the aged Uchiha smirked. That attitude of hers calmed the overwhelmed Sakura even more to a point she was ready to start a conversation with her:

'Itachi-san, a traitor?'

'I can't tell you more honey, this topic is a taboo here. Itachi-chan lives near the lake, It's the considerably the largest house in the area.'

Unwillingly, Sakura held the woman's hands and caressed them.

'Thank you Baa-san...I'll definitely never forget your favor...I currently work in Konoha's hospital and if you ever needed anything I'll be there for you.'

A grin on her face Sakura took leave with 'Tell him that you owe a kiss to your granny Minako' being the last thing She heard before quitting. In her way, She leapt over some tree brushes and roofs before reaching her destination. She sauntered towards the largest house and took a deep breath to wipe away her anxiety before knocking on its door.

Sakura's heartbeat became suddenly so fast, so loud, she could hear her heart thumping violently beneath her bossom. She didn't know what kind of people might encounter her therefore when she heard some footsteps the stress upon her chest reached its top. Gritting her teeth, she froze when the door opened.

Smiling like Chishire cat, a gorgeous woman greeted her; Sakura never thought that black would suit white as much before meeting Mikoto with her raven hair and eyes mixed skillfully with a pale white skin. Looking closely, she was kind of a female version Itachi; they had the same hair style, same eyes, same skin tone, same lips shape...

Sakura clumsily responded with a giggle. Mikoto was somehow aware of what she's been through along her way and was comprehensive about her nervousness so she tranquilized her:

'You're Haruno Sakura, aren't you? You seem even more beautiful than my son has described...Get in please!'

The raven-haired Uchiha gestured for

Sakura to follow her. She did. In her way, Inner shifted to dance Oriental shouting from rapture.

 ** _Sasuke-kun talked to her about me and he said I'm beautiful!Shanarooo!!_**

Mikoto grabbed her Htai-ate and adjusted it to her forehead as she walked into the kitchen. Sakura stood by the door and observed her crush's house fascinated by its old Japanese style. Adressing a fake frown to Sakura, the Uchiha insisted:

'C'mon don't be shy, act like you're at your own house'

Sakura -soothed by the tone of Mikoto's voice that slithered to her ears like spilled honey- squatted down beside the woody table in the middle of the kitchen and thanked the female Uchiha for her kindness. Mikoto inquired if she would like to drink something, Sakura grinned and declared:

'Thank you, I'm here just because Itachi-san needs Sasuke-kun. So I thought that he might be here...'

'Well, Sasuke isn't here, he left few hours ago and he refused telling me where was he going...'

She sighed then inquired:

'How is Itachi? I heard you're a medic ninja...'

'Itachi-san is fine for now'

Mikoto glanced at the pink-haired teen noticing the gloom in her eccentric eyes.

'It's okay sweetie, I know he is stubborn and I'm aware of the situation he is in...'

Sakura bowed her head.

'I'm in the team assigned to carry out his surgery. I promise to do my best.'

Her fists clenched.

'I won't let Itachi-san die...'

Mikoto -who seemed to have faith in her son- stared at her then plastered her hand on Sakura's interlocking their fingers lightly. Before arranging an appropriate answer she noticed the entrance of someone into the house. Judging from his voice saying 'Tadaima' both females knew it was Sasuke. Mikoto took the burden of answering him:

'Okairi Sasuke, come here'

Few steps and he was there.

'Kaa-san?! Why are you wearing...

Sakura?! What are you doing here?'

Sasuke inquired as he popped out in the kitchen. His eyes widened slightly from perplexion. There were two surprises welcoming him; Sakura who seemed to strike up a friendship with his mother and Mikoto who was in her Kunoichi outfit. Sasuke knew well that his mother quitted being a Ninja longtime ago, so that was the harshest shock.

Mikoto signed for him to get in. He padded to the table and squatted facing them. Glancing at Sakura, her face was adorned by some hues of lovely pink. The raven-haired female stared right in her son's eyes showing him an odd seriousness.

'I'm going back to shinobi life...'

_

 _ **AN:** Thanks so much for the reviews, reading them really makes my day._

 _In the next chapter I'll be revealing Mikoto's past and the circumstances leading to the coup d'état being stopped._

 _Minako is actually an OC_ , she is Mikoto's mother. Izumi's Mangekyõ abilities are made by me hope the names aren't so creepy. These abilities will be explained more later.

 _Thank you for reading, enjoy!_


	13. The Uchiha's sorceress - loss and grief

**_AN:_** _There are two OCs in this chapter; Uchiha Naoshi, Mikoto's father and Yamanaka Inori, her friend. The parts written in Italic are the images Mikoto showed to Sasuke and Sakura through her Tsukuyomi. The ones in bold italic are her thoughts during their visualization of her past._

 _ **Warning:** This chapter contains bloody scenes._

_

'Going back to...Shinobi life...you say?'

Sasuke's glare shifted from shock to pure angst as he grumbled those words to his mother. Deep inside him, resided a feeling he couldn't deny; worry. _Yes, he was worried about his mother. He was about to lose Itachi and the impacts of that traumatizing fact were far from fading, yet._ Mikoto considered it as an understatement therefore she had to prove that she was capable of handling shinobi life even at her age.

 _That dense atmosphere, he witnessed it twice before, he never thought that his mother would be the reason behind witnessing the third._

Glancing into his mother's eyes, he noticed the absolute alteration in them; three spiraling curves surrounded her pupil in each eye. Sasuke winced from the sight. Sakura kept watching bemused and honestly she couldn't hide it. Her crush seemed somehow dreadful and he was barely able to babble few words:

'This is...Nii-san...Mangekyõ...'

Actually, it wasn't the fact that his mother had Mangekyõ which intrigued him, it was rather the unexpected death glare she was addressing to him.

 _He's never seen her like this before, she's always seemed kind and calm_

'Do you think I'm unable to carry my duty as a...SHINOBI? Shall I slaughter you now in order to prove it?'

Forehead swimming in sweat, Sasuke whispered a 'No' causing his mother's facial expression to soften suddenly casting him a mocking smirk:

'Just kidding!'

She recoiled giggling at her son's odd reaction then she stuck her tongue out at him. Sasuke restarted breathing from relief. Sakura was perplexed due to her inability to understand the situation.

'Kaa-san, Since when do you have Mangekyõ? And why does it look like Nii-san's?'

'I unlocked it at the age of sixteen. It's the same as him because I'm his mother. It's not just the look, we have the same abilities as well!'

She winked to her son soothing him even further. The confused Sakura wanted to joins the fuss therefore she asked cutting her long hush:

'What does it mean...Mangekyõ?'

Mikoto eyed her with the Cheshire cat smile then answered:

'It's the level that comes after the ordinary Sharingan. It affords its owner a wider range of abilities than the ordinary phase.'

Sasuke deemed he was the weakest among his family and he has even started doubting his own abilities. He thought he will never have the same power as them so he inquired wanting to know more about the subject:

'Are all Uchihas able to use Mangekyõ?'

'There are two necessary conditions to unlock one's Mangekyõ.'

She raised her index.

'First, you should master keeping your ordinary phase active with the lowest chakra use, that could be achieved through fighting experiences and excessive Yin release training.'

Sakura tilted her head.

'Yin release?'

'Inton, or also called dark style. All Uchihas possess that style which is something way different from ordinary Chakra nature transformations. To make it easier, Yin release is basically used in Genjutsu.'

Sasuke, eager to know more, asked:

'And the second condition?'

Lips pressed in a thin line, Mikoto mumbled:

'A shocking loss'

Eyes narrowed, Sakura questioned:

'A shocking loss?'

'Yeah, the death of someone close to you or a relative awakens one's Mangekyõ if the first condition was achieved'

Sasuke rested his chin on interlocked hands.

'I see. How many clanmen have already awakened their Mangekyõ?'

'Actually there are five in Konoha for now. Three are pure Uchihas which are me, your father and your brother. One doesn't have the Uchiha blood but he has a transplanted Sharingan; Hatake Kakashi and an unpure-blooded; Izumi Uchiha.'

'Kakashi Sensei? And Izumi Senpai?'

'Hai, belonging to the clan doesn't matter if you master the exact control of Sharingan'

'It's really weird. Just my family members are able to use Mangekyõ in the entire clan...'

'There is nothing weird about it Sasuke. The strongest female Uchiha is always married to the head of the clan to keep the royal family strong and capable.'

A question slipped unwillingly from Sakura's lips:

'Does that mean? You didn't love Your husband? You were forced?'

Mikoto grinned meanwhile Sasuke wasn't able to hide his interest in the topic.

'It's a yes and no at the same time.'

'A yes and No? More importantly, how did you and Nii-san unlock your Mangekyõ?'

Closing her right eye firmly the raven-haired female declared:

'There are a lot of things that you should know about our family, Sasuke. And since this girl (she glanced at Sakura) will be a part of our family one day I don't really mind sharing those secrets with her'

Tints of pink pervaded the cherry blossom queen's face. Sasuke was in the same condition. Lips slightly parting and flipping his gaze away he murmured:

'Who said this?'

'Didn't you tell me that you liked her?'

Sakura -heart at the edge of banging- yelled innerly from delights:

 ** _Sasuke-kun likes me...Shanarooo!!_**

the Uchiha tad insisted nearly whispering:

'Hurry up and start talking Kaa-san...'

'Look into my eyes and let me show you the truth'

Both stared in her garnet red eyeballs as she whisper shouted:

'For the next twenty years your souls will live my past! Tsukuyomi!'

Sasuke and Sakura started immediately to visualize Mikoto's past and live it as theirs.

 ** _《"I was a mere adolescent when everything in my life changed with no warnings, I was a strong Kunoichi that awakened her Sharingan at an early age and was so skilled at manipulating weapons. It was in the fifteenth year of my life that the third Shinobi war broke out._** "

 _Mikoto -Yakking with Kushina like any teenage girls- heard the snarling of her father calling her. The furious tone of his voice was telling her that some mishap has already or was about to occur. She left her bestie and ran to her father whose name was Naoshi. Mikoto was caught off guard when he grabbed her ponytail -that was so long back then- and pulled it carrying her along their way back to home. Kushina was saddened and blamed herself for being unable to help her friend. Once at home, Mikoto had to bear her usual unblemished fate; the violent whacks of her father. With every stroke she felt her skin stiffening and stinging. With every insult spew from his mouth more tears slithered down her cheeks._

" ** _Naoshi was wanting me to participate in the war since the Uchiha clan was highly needed. The pride of clans was defined by their ferocity in battlefields therefore even young Genins were obliged to fight when the clan's performance impoverishes. I was a Chunnin but I disliked everything related to term war or Ninja, I just willed to live a serene life but that was far from happening in a ruthless world of the such. And before realizing it I became a warrior._** "

 _She entered the soldiers' tent. A strong scent of sweat and blood welcomed her. Every set of eyes fixed her. There was just men filling every place. They saw in her a good prize and everyone started to harass her in his own different way; But their goal was the same: winning her flawless body for a night. Mikoto felt like crying but remembering the harsh words of her father and how a shinobi shall deny feelings were binding her so far. And so she was forced to surrender to the bitter reality. They didn't cease before the entrance of some golden-haired woman. Judging by her voice she was about thirty years old. She yelled at them reminding of the current situation and how a shinobi should react towards the new up comers then trekked to the overwhelmed Mikoto and soothed her with a balmy smile._

 _"It's okay, that happens all of the time. But I'll be always there to protect you don't worry. What was your name?"_

 _Mikoto -with narrow eyes from the previous events-glanced at the scars upon her new mate's face; especially the eye patch hiding the gap between her left eyebrow and cheek._

 _At that time, the broken Uchiha was already getting, albeit a bit, an idea about the cruelty of wars._

" ** _That woman became later my unique ally. Yamanaka Inori was a war mate and a friend that I can never forget._** "

 _Mikoto gazed at the motionless corpses surrounding her, it felt like walking at the edge of hell. She hated everything related to term war, loathed the scent of dissolved corpses and the sight of human shreds scattered everywhere. Whenever she thought that she would finally escape during her sleep, those images sneaked to her as nightmares obliging her to wake up. Even staying awake wasn't a solution because she kept visualizing them over and over again._

 _There was still one unique refuge which was Inori's arms; Inori who cradled her each night and treated her like a spoiled daughter._

" ** _F_** ** _ight after fight I started to register piecemeal the definition of the word war. Inori was always there for fond and company. I truely loved her, but I had some kind of curse because of which I was fated to lose everything I loved._** "

 _Kneeling, the raven-haired Uchiha felt so run down. She cupped her eyes feeling the intense pain tearing behind them. Mikoto knew she would soon collapse due to the overuse of her Dõjutsu and she was right in the middle of a bestial fray. Hearing the desperate soldiers yell for the pride of taking down an Uchiha, she assumed they mere Hyaenas itching to tear her flesh and so grabbed a Kunai intending to stab herself in a blessing suicide. That was when she felt some hands forbidding her from taking down her soul. Inori smiled at her and whispered:_

 _"It will be fine Miko, hang in there a bit"._

 _Mikoto -eyes wide open from dread- shrieked with the loudest of her voice:_

 _"Flee! Inori! They are too much for you! I'm out of Chakra and wounded without me you can live!"_

 _Inori waved the hand seals of Shintenshin no jutsu nonchalant of Mikoto's moanful growls. All what it took was few minutes for the Yamanaka clan's woman to run out of Chakra. Mikoto saw numerous kunais fluttering in her friend's aim who wasn't able to dodge. She yelled her name feeling a stinging in her throat, never remembering screaming that loud before._

" ** _And I saw her blood splashing me. I still didn't know the reason why she would sacrifice her life for someone like me. I felt nothing but the harsh stirring of something in my eyes. I thought I was about to cry but what ran down wasn't tears but rather blood._** "

 _Everything switched black in Mikoto's sights. Unconsciously, she ran to embrace_ _her cadaverous_ _bestie mumbling to her tenderly:_

 _'Inori...Wait me, I'll save you and we will definitely go back home together...'_

" ** _I couldn't believe she's already passed away. The shock was too strong, strong enough to awaken my Mangekyõ..._** "

 _Whoever approached them got knocked out with a mere stare of Mikoto. Her Tsukuyomi was reacting reflexly to her feelings. More and more approached them, and her gaze kept gleaming under the illuminating moonlight in pure ferocity, protecting Inori to the sour end._

 _Meanwhile, Mikoto was shaking her dead friend; shivering her and calling her name. The silence that came as an answer was a shattering blow. Regarding her breathless body Mikoto came finally to realize the occurring mishap and let the dark side sleeping within her rule. She stood glaring in total agony at the battalion surrounding her that has started to recoil from fright._

 _Without realizing it an Astral worrier shielded her as it rised to its feet. And when it drew its sword, none in the battlefield remained alive_ _except the grieved Mikoto who immerged in the blood of her slaughtered ally._

" ** _It was my first loss. The pain has never faded and I had to carry on my life with no goals thinking that this world is hopeless and humans aren't worthy of living. Starting from that day, everyone feared me. I was automatically ranked a Jonin. What meant more responsibilities and more required bloodshed. I became totally rebellious; refusing to wear Konoha's Htai-ate and its formal outfit and dressing instead in old armors with a Ganbai and a scythe hanging on my back. People said that I reminded them of the legend Uchiha Madara. That was how they nicknamed me the Uchiha's sorceress and some others called me even Madara's reincarnation. Years passed by and my missions have gotten rougher. Both Konoha and the Uchiha used me as a weapon never caring about the growing hollow within me. I sank into nothingness and I lived for the sake of murdering. I had nothing to love or protect. I admit that I was a heartless monster back then who thought that feelings were mere lies and saw the world as a mere hell that should be destroyed._**

 ** _However, what has occurred to me later was far from expectations._** "

_

 _ **AN:** All facts that Mikoto mentioned about the Inton release are true and you can check wiki anime._

 _However, I added few things to the conditions of the mangekyõ's awakening so that it can fit in the story._

 _Mikoto's background story and her abilities are created by me and there are many reasons why I chose her mangekyõ to be totally like Itachi's._

 ** _Thank you all, hope you enjoyed..._**

 ** _PS: leave me a review..._**


	14. The Uchiha's sorceress - love and life

**_AN:_** _this chapter reveals the truth about circumstances that led the coup d'état to stop._

 _ **Warning:** This chapter contains bloody scenes and the death of a main character in the series._

_

 _Mikoto strode out of a spar bathed in blood. She wiped the smudges on her face revealing a cold glare and walked as the clacks of her mental armor echoed in the surrounding space. She kept padding to nowhere when a running Uchiha knelt in front of her saying that the leader claimed her._

 ** _I never expected the alteration occurring to my life apart from that day._**

 _She squatted in front of the old man heading the Uchiha back then and with his deep voice he declared:_

 _"Mikoto, you are aware of the rule that the strongest female within the clan shall marry the leader. Aren't you?"_

 _Mikoto haussed an eyebrow then mocked:_

 _"Neh Jiji are you planning to get married at this age?"_

 _She cachinnated rudely in her usual juvenileness. The old man straightened nochalantly then continued in a blistering tone:_

 _"You are going to marry my son."_

 _The way he said it was deemed by Mikoto as an order and she hated being jailed by the others' denying decisions. She felt the fury pushing her to slaughter him but she maintained her overflowing bloodlust, instead she stepped out with clenched fists. following the road leading to the outsides of_ _Konoha. And for her, it was decided; she will turn her back to fate and create her own destiny._

 ** _It was a shock. Getting married wasn't even a choice for me. At that time I've really reached my limits and I decided to leave konoha and live as a rogue Ninja._**

 _On her way out of the village, Mikoto met an unexpected friend; Kushina. The Uchiha sensed her presence, yet she kept trekking on her own path carelessly. Kushina grabbed her by the arm nearly tearing the fabric coating it and yelled:_

 _"wait!"_

 _"there is nothing to wait for, Kushina"_

 _Mikoto hauled her limb making her friend's eyes grow narrow._

 _"At least tell me why?"_

" _They said they are gonna oblige me to marry the leader's son...I'm done with this hopeless world...I'm leaving._ "

 _Kushina was able to read through her voice every scream of despair locked in the coolness of her friend's tone._

 _"Mikoto, losing you will be painful. But you know, if you get married none will force you to join the battlefield anymore..."_

 ** _That idea wasn't bad after all and so I got married to Fugaku. The few first weeks seemed awful. He was distant and I was still stubborn. But I needed to get pregnant as soon as possible to avoid wars. And so I did. It was giving birth to Itachi that rode me to the light again. Fugaku gave me something to protect and love but most of all, he drove me to a peaceful life. It was after Itachi's birth that I loved him. Even though, my life has never gotten so peaceful._**

 _'RUN! IT'S THE KYUUBI! THE KYUUBI IS ATTACKING KONOHA!'_

 _Mikoto glanced around to see angst and dread plastering everyone's face. The unique thought swimming in her head was Sasuke and Itachi who were alone at home. Adrenaline ran in her veins in the speed of light pushing her to jog crazily towards her house. It was her second time witnessing such a strong fright of losing something. Nonchalant about the flying broken wood and glass she padded to her home. It was like a heart attack when she saw her house collapsing. She yelled calling her sons' names but there was no answer._

 ** _I knew that Itachi wasn't of the kind who would die easily therefore I went to check the shelters. I was certain that they were alive._**

 _She heard the cries of a baby when she first entered. She ran following the random cries and restarted breathing when she deduced it was Sasuke. Mikoto dropped to her feet and cradled Itachi._

 _'Kaa-san?'_

 _Without realizing it she started sobbingtears of joy. Her happiness didn't last for so long. She remembered her bestie, Kushina who was the Kyuubi's Jinchūriki which gave her the feeling that something terrible was about to occur._

 _'Itachi, take care of Sasuke! I'll be right back'_

 _'But Kaa-san it's dangerous outside!'_

 _She glanced at him_ _soothing:_

 _'Konoha is your hometown and I won't let it fall no matter what. Don't worry I'll be fine'_

 _She left the shelter leaping over the broken houses and trees following the bestial screams of the furious Bijuu. And when she arrived, it was too late. She saw Kushina and Minato stabbed by the kyuubi's claw. Seeing the blond baby sleeping between illuminated candles, she knew what was Minato about to perform. She ran faster carless about the burning in her lungs, she ran with all her might shouting with the loudest of her voice:_

 _'KUSHINA WAIT! NO! I STILL CAN CONTROL HIM WITH MY SHARINGAN! NO KUSHINAAAA'_

 _With tears filling her eyes she saw the Kyuubi vanish being sealed within Naruto's body. And when she reached the scene, Minato was already dead and Kushina was barely spewing her last breaths. Mikoto knelt and hugged her tightly feeling her blood slithering to her skin. Then she whisper shrieked:_

 _'Kushina! I'm really sorry...I was late...'_

 _The scarlet-haired woman smiled_ _though the blood oozing between her lips_ _and babbled her last words:_

 _Miko...to..._ _Take care of...Naruto...'_

 _Weeping, Mikoto nodded as she saw her bestie leave this world. It was just so painful, too painful..._

 ** _And_** ** _that way I lost another precious friend to me. I didn't stop blaming myself which kept reminding me of how useless I was._**

 _She held the baby Naruto in her arms and clutched him so firmly never ceasing to sob. Sandaime joined the scene and glanced with agony at the dead minato. He wanted to cry, but he was the Hokage._

 ** _I was the woman who raised Naruto till the age of five. Since then I wasn't able to afford him enough of my time. Because my clan was planning a coup d'etat against Konoha for being pushed to the corner and misjudged being the culprit of the Kyuubi attack. One more time the clan was willing to use me but this time they intended even to use my son; Itachi._**

 _'Itachi, no matter how obliged you are, you should always think hundreds of times before shedding a blood. Even if it was in order to protect you have to follow the peaceful path to the bitter end.'_

 _'Hai...Kaa-san...'_

 _She patted his shoulder and smirked:_

 _'You are the only one able to lead Konoha and the Uchiha to peace again. I have faith in you, I'll play traitor and afford you all the information you need for Konoha's council. Lately they started doubting you and I don't think they'll reveal as much in front of you.'_

 _Itachi poured his face in Mikoto's bossom. Without seeing his face or tears she could guess he was crying._

 _'It must be a heavyweight...I'm so sorry...'_

 _'It's nothing of the sort...Sh-shisui Died'_

 _Her eyes widened slightly._

 _'Shisui? How? Why?'_

 _'He suicided. Danzo stole his left eye. He said if the clan finds out, they'll rebel even more...'_

 _Mikoto tightened her hug_ _, she could feel all the affection her son lacked._

 _'That fucking Danzo! He was behind everything from the start. Itachi, I'm really sorry. I'll try harder to convin-'_

 _'No need to put yourself in more risk Kaa-San...'_

 _'I'm really proud of you Itachi. It looks like the peaceful path ends here. Do your best and you should know that I'll always love you no matter what occrus.'_

 ** _Itachi was ordered to slaughter the entire clan and that included me. Deep inside I felt if that would protect Sasuke and Itachi it will be always fine for me. Lately Itachi noticed that someone sneaked in the Uchiha district. Both agreed that they will murder the clan together. Since that one was seeking revenge from the clan. But in the night of tragedy Konoha was attacked by Orochimaru._**

 _'Orochimaru is attacking Konoha! What shall we do Taichou?'_

 _'I suggest that we ally with him and take the opportunity to rebel!'_

 _'Taichou! We should do it! This is the best decision!'_

 _Cross-armed, Fugaku frowned taking his time to think about it. Mikoto intended to stop them when Itachi stormed into the meeting hall yelling:_

 _'None of you is leaving the corridor! And whoever wants to ally with Orochimaru shall defeat me first!'_

 _All eyes fixed him in disgrace. He avoided them glancing at his mother then nodded slightly as a sign for her to move. Mikoto padded to him declaring to her husband that she should take care of Sasuke. When she crossed Itachi he was able to tell her in a Genjutsu: "I've taken Sasuke to the shelter, do it Kaa-san, none else is able to. Konoha needs your abilities"._

 _Fugaku snarled at his son in a blistering tone:_

 _'What is the meaning of this Itachi?'_

 _'You all can call me a traitor but I'm enough with the clan thing.'_

 _A clan man stood and aimed a punch at Itachi who grabbed his hand roughly._

 _'Orochimaru is here because of your stupidities! Someone knew about your conflicts and told them to Orochimaru who didn't waste the chance to attack Konoha.'_

 _'Who cares, we should ally with Orochimaru then kill him and take his post that's all.'_

 _'Do you think you will be able to defeat Orochimaru in the first place? He is here in order to rule Konoha and take over your abilities! Someone called Tobi spied the current situation to Orochimaru and they joined forces to destroy both, Konoha and the Uchiha. Your selfish points of view will just lead to your own destruction.'_

 _'YOU FAGGOT WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?'_

 _Fugaku then growled calming the situation:_

 _'For now we will help Konoha against Orochimaru. We will leave things for later. You all should defend the village and ANYONE WHO WOULD REFUSE WILL BE KILLED!'_

 ** _That way, the Uchiha accepted to help Konoha and that was so helpful. Because without the clan's assistance Konoha had no chance in front of Orochimaru. Itachi doubted two people behind the attack: Tobi and Danzo. Itachi took care of obligingTobi to quit Konoha somehow and He asked me to kill Danzo since he was a constant danger threatening the village._**

 _Mikoto sauntered in the long dark tunnels of the Foundation ANBU. The base seemed empty, almost everyone left for the fight except two bodyguards who stood in front of Danzo. She knocked them out with Genjutsu and declared:_

 _'Everything ends here, Danzo!'_

 _He frowned as he seemed to recognize her; Mikoto the sorceress of the Uchiha. Trying uselessly to shake her will he threatened:_

 _'Do you know what are the consequences of attacking a member of the council?'_

 _'Humph..'_

 _Mikoto giggled mockingly averting her head down._

 _'And are you aware of the consequences of defying the Uchiha? The consequences of allying with Orochimaru? And most of all the consequences of ordering my son to murder his own clan?'_

 _She tossed her head back sending a death glare to Danzo. Her eyes shined like garnets under light when she activated her Mangekyõ. She was itching to fight, her old self awakened to the sight of battlefields in her way._

 _Danzo was sweating knowing that Itachi has discovered all his plans. He had to kill Mikoto and Itachi no matter how. He untied the white bandages on his right hand and eye revealing the numerous Sharingans on it and Shisui's Mangekyõ. Mikoto's eyes widened from shock; that fuelled her fury even more resulting in her attacking him. She grabbed the scythe on her back and jogged to him rapidly. With the pure intent to kill, Mikoto aimed for his head. He recoiled dodging as he waved the hand seals of his Fuuton Jutsu. Trying to put him under Genjutsu she stared at him right in the eyeballs._

 _'It's useless! Fuuton: Shin Kugyoku!'_

 _' Damn he's too fast and Shisui's eye is protecting him against my Tsukuyomi!'_

 _Right in time, Mikoto activated her Susanoo summoning only a small part of it. An orange aura shielded her protecting her from his Jutsu. In the blink of an eye the mere aura became an astral warrior whose hand grabbed Danzo and crashed him letting his blood splash the whole area. She thought it was over as she smiled to herself. Susanoo fading, Mikoto intended to leave when she felt a presence behind her. Turning, she saw Danzo throwing in her direction two Shurikens enhanced by Fuuton style. Mikoto winced avoiding the one aimed to her neck. Lacking the enough speed, it scratched her cheek. Yet, she was able to draw her Ganbai in time to dodge the second. In that time, Mikoto was already able to figure out the best plan and understand the abilities of Danzo. 'Izanagi then?'. She stood wiping out the blood oozing from her wounded cheek. Panting lightly, she put her Ganbai back to its place. Armless, she ran towards Danzo signing the seals; Mi, Tora, I, Uma, Tora. Inhaling deeply, Mikoto whisper shouted:_

 _'Katon: Goukakyou no jutsu!'_

 _All what Danzo saw later was a huge fireball coming in his direction. He responded with a Suiton Jutsu causing the area to become foggy due to the spreading vapor. He saw the shadow of Mikoto cut the haze approaching him in a high speed therefore he casted her another Fuuton Jutsu. Mikoto didn't dodge. Danzo didn't realize it was a Kage Bunshin before the real one collared him lifting him up by the neck. Mikoto smiled to him maliciously as he was suffocating. He intended to wave some hand seals but before being able to he noticed her right eye bleeding then dark flames started eating his right hand._

 _Amaterasu!_ '

 _Danzo was able to keep calm since he will use Izanagi if he died. But that didn't last long since Mikoto has already cut his right arm sending it flying in the air where it burned to ashes in the Black blaze. Danzo glared at her in terror as his eyes windened. Mikoto saw his arm regenerating but she didn't care because the new arm was without the Sharingans on it. She burst him into the floor and sat on him. She's always let him a little space to breathe. She needed him alive. Because with her free hand she cupped his right eye then growled smiling:_

 _'You shall now know the pain of stealing one's eye. The pain you've caused to an Uchiha not so long ago'_

 _Danzo tried to struggle with all his might knowing what was Mikoto up to do. But it went useless since she has has already grabbed his sclera. Mercilessly, she tugged Shisui's eye letting him writhe and scream out of pain beneath her. She closed her right eye firmly then used her left to gaze at him declaring:_

 _'For the next three years you will be living this pain over and over again. Tsukuyomi!'_

 _Danzo visualized Mikoto heaving his eye for three years. In the real world just few seconds passed by and when he woke up from her illusion she smirked at him mumbling:_

 _'Sayonara, Danzo!'_

 _Then in the speed of light she ripped out his head with the sharp of her scythe letting his blood smear her wholly. She rose her gaze inhaling a deep breath. Shisui wasn't just the bestie of her son, he was also the one who raised Itachi when she was unable to. She owed him a lot._

 _Shisui...You can rest in peace now..._

 _She trekked away with her eyes bleeding in a slow pace. She didn't use that much Chakra but she felt tired. She didn't fight for so long._ _Mikoto bit her thumb then whispered after waving some hand signs:_

 _'Kuchiyose no jutsu!'_

 _Plastering her hand on the ground, a crow appeared and clutched Shisui's eye from her hand then vanished._

 ** _That way I was able to protect Konoha and avenge Shisui at the same time. After that incident, I've totally abandoned being a Ninja. I carried on my life as a household mother nonchalant of any occurring mishap. None has ever found out that I killed Danzo or anything of the sort._** 》

Panting heavily, Sakura and Sasuke woke up from her Genjutsu to set feet in reality again. Mikoto's left eye bled from the impact of overuse. Sakura remained speechless but Sasuke was able to utter:

'K-Kaa-san? A-are you okay?'

She nodded standing. The cherry blossom queen burst in silent tears of empathy. Mikoto glanced at them and smiled:

'Let's take a visit to Itachi!'

Sweating, Sasuke shook his head as a 'No' And intended to walk to his room but Mikoto's words paralyzed him:

'Are you afraid?'

 _How did she know?_

'I've read in your thoughts when i've put you under my Genjutsu. You are scared of crying in front of Itachi because you can't handle seeing him like that.'

Glare glooming. Sasuke whisper shouted:

'Whatever...I just don't want him to be worried.'

'You will regret locking your feelings the day he'll be gone...'

Sasuke gritted his teeth firmly as he nodded a 'Hai'. Mikoto padded to Sakura and hugged her:

'Sorry...I shouldn't-'

Sakura shook her head slowly interrupting:

'It's okay. It's just that...your life has been so sad...'

Mikoto giggled at the sniffing Sakura and stood lifting her by pulling her hand. The raven-haired female declared:

'Let's go'

_

 _ **AN:** Apart from now there will be no flashbacks, just main events with funny moments. Thanks for the few people who encouraged me._

 _Sorry if the fight between Danzo and Mikoto seemed creepy I suck at fight scenes._

Sorry for the creepy style.

 _Akatsuki and other naruto characters such as Jiraya will be joining soon. Look up for it._


	15. Smile

_**AN:** long time no see! here is a new chapter hope you like it...And don't forget to leave a review!_

_

Glancing at the sleeping Izumi, Itachi couldn't help but crawl near her. For the previous hour, he wasn't able to lift his glare away of her face. Slowly his hand slid to caress her curves with the tips of his slender fingers; he had no spiteful intent, he just wanted to feel her warmth because since they've met, she gave him an amiable sense of security. He then shifted to rub his index against her smooth cheek; kneading and patting until his gaze met her glossy lips which resulted in a sudden urge to swallow them. He admired how full and glomorous they were and it was making him itch to have them in his cavity then stretch them with his tongue to discover what laid behind their marvelous stun. Unable to control his temptation, he cupped her chin and bowed to devour his prize.

Due to some nervous coughing at his door, he winced. Honestly, he was too carried away by her charm to notice that Kakashi was standing near the entrance.

'Sorry if I interrupted you during an important job. Can I get in? Or...'

Itachi chuckled at the way he said it. Naruto has already burst in. Hands in his waist, the blond boy frowned at Itachi in total disgrace. Itachi tilted his head slightly in return as a 'What's wrong'. Lips parting in displeasure, Naruto declared with an odd seriousness:

'Um um...Men these days are so impolite. First it was Ero-Sennin and now you Ero-Sensei. I'm really disappointed 'tebayo.'

Itachi haussed an eyebrow then smirked at the embarrassed Kakashi.

'Of course you can come in.'

The Genin Sensei sat on the sofa cross-legged adressing to Naruto:

'Now, if you want him to teach you Genjutsu, you should be more nice to him, shouldn't you?'

The Jinchūriki pouted -ready to do anything in order to learn a new Jutsu- intending to apologize. That was when Itachi fondled his locks smiling:

'It's okay, Naruto is like a younger brother for me. So it will be always ok'

With a sorrowful glare, Kakashi's tone softened to a balmy level as it slithered in the room:

'Itachi, I just heard about it. Hope you get well as soon as possible.'

Eyes slightly narrow, the Uchiha glanced at his Senpai. He didn't expect it from him; when they used to be together Kakashi showed no feelings. He thought he was a mere cold-blooded murderer unlike him. But now he was witnessing the other side of him; the bright and warm side. Itachi bowed his head babbling a "thank you" before the door slid again revealing a cheerful cherry blossom queen.

'Ne, ne, Itachi-san'

'Sakura?'

'Guess who's here?'

Mikoto and Sasuke popped behind her, which forced a smile to escape between Itachi's lips. His mother padded to him then squatted to his level snaking her hands around his neck. Sasuke sauntered in gazing away; he needed to avoid any eye contact with his brother. Itachi plastered his lips on his mother's forehead blowing on it a tepid kiss:

'Kaa-san, how have you been doing?'

He was referring stealthily to the complex with his father. Mikoto shrugged and replied with a mocking voice:

'Fine'

She lowered her voice to a whisper then answered his hidden question:

'He didn't go back home yesterday...'

Itachi smiled at the sight of his mother winking at him then gestured to the pouting Sasuke to join. There was too many people for the unsociable boy who gazed secretly at grinning mother.

"You will regret locking your feelings the day he'll be gone."

Those words gave him the will to trek near his brother. Itachi knew him the most and so was aware of his distress. Sasuke -deliberately- raised his gaze to meet his elder's which was a chore to do; he feared that sparkle in his eyes, he dreaded seeing it fade away.

Everyone who was busy greeting the other focused on the scene which made things way harder. But who cares, nothing will shake his will since he's gone this far. Albeit, his lips felt glued to each other when he babbled:

'How are you...Nii-san?'

Itachi stared at him blankly noticing the cute expression on his face which pushed him to tease his Otouto a bit.

'Not fine at all!'

With pure angst and worry, Sasuke groped his brother's shoulders and inquired with the warmest of tones:

'What's wrong? Does anything hurt?'

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle at the sight and cradle his blushing brother firmly. Everyone in the room giggled at the scene especially Kakashi who's never seen Sasuke's worrying and caring side. More people joined when Tsunade stormed in with medical supplies, Shizune striding desperately to follow her hurried steps and -of course- Tonton.

The Hokage glared at Izumi with ' _What the **fuck**_ ' obvious on her facial expression. Then shifted to Itachi who was still clutching his brother. Sasuke recoiled letting passage for Godaime to sit next to his elder. Shizune took care of greeting everyone in the room who were yakking trivially. Tsunade ordered Itachi to strip off his turtleneck sweater. Again, he had to do it in front of everyone and he had no choice but to obey. Plastering her palm on his naked back the blondie asked:

'How have you been feeling lately? Any symptoms or malaise?'

'I feel better than yesturday, actually way better except the pain in my joints and my lungs feel so sensitive therefore I easily weaken to the smallest effort...'

Tsunade grabbed a syringe and equipped it with a needle, smirking.

'You're so honest, I can see the huge alteration in your attitudes. Any blood coughing or other irritations?'

Feeling the sharp metal piercing him he giggled a 'No'. Sasuke arched back slightly when he saw the Hokage pulling a blood sample from his brother's arm and so he reluctantly inquired:

'Is that for blood tests?'

'No, it's for organ cloning'

He tilted his head and consequently Sakura interfered to explain:

'When there are a lot of effected organs in a patient, transplanting donated ones would be a constant danger for him, because the possibility of the auto rejection by our bodies becomes so high. That's why in Konoha we use organ cloning by combining the original DNA with Hashirama cells. It's complicated but effective.'

Along that time, Naruto was staring at Mikoto with wide eyes. Tsunade finished checking Itachi who wore back his pullover. The Jinchūriki leapt in Mikoto's arms yelling 'Kaa-san' with watery eyes. Sasuke haussed an eyebrow then grumbled:

'Kaa-san? Are you blind? Get the **_fuck_** away from my mother...'

The female Uchiha snaked her arms around the blond boy pulling him in a tight hug. Sasuke was carried deeper into confusion, he knew his mother raised Naruto for his first five years, but never expected such a strong bond between them.

Naruto frowned at Mikoto then questioned with lips parting from displeasure:

'What is he saying Kaa-Chan?'

She inhaled deeply glaring at the two boys and with a bright smile, declared:

'Sasuke, Naruto, it's time you should know the truth. You are milk-brothers.'

They both spew a long whine of absolute shock and discontent. Itachi and Kakashi knew it so they just tittered. Sakura fainted. Tsunade and Shizune kept watching, lips shaped in a slient 'O'.

Mikoto nodded intensely as her hands sneaked to grab her own breasts. Glancing at the right one she chirped:

'Naruto has always loved sucking this one'

Then at her left.

'And Sasuke was fond of this one, so I've never had a problem in feeding both of you at the same time'

Everyone couldn't control the urge of laughing. Itachi gazed at the people surrounding him and realized how full his life was. All what he needed was there; old friends, a blithe mother that has never abandoned him, an innocent brother that adored him pricelessly, a gorgeous lover that sacrificed every bit of herself to gain his recognition and a boss who did her best to save him. For the first time in years he felt happy; that happiness one doesn't feel everyday but once or twice in a lifetime which made him smile the brightest and with tearful he eyes declared adressing to everyone:

'Mina...Thank you...'

_

Itachi gazed at the coal sky dotted in billions of gleaming stars; he was no longer lost in his own darkness since he's found his own shining lucida that guided him back to light.

His glare slid to meet the slumbering Izumi -curled up in his sheets. She wrestled slowly then glanced back at him in drowsy eyes that made his core melt. She yawned then shared with him her first remark:

'Itachi-kun, why is your Sharingan active?'

He winced raising an eyebrow.

'Was it even active?'

Hues of astonishing pink pervaded her puffy cheeks. Something tingly skulked within her belly when she babbled lowering her gaze:

'It's said that Sharingan doesn't just react to sadness...But also to...love...'

Shall he tell her? It would be creepy if he died after confessing...But he made a promise to himself which required being open and never suppressing a feeling. He felt his own heartstrings enter in a confusing disarrangement and his eyeballs rolling reluctantly away when he mumbled huskily those words:

'Then, my eyes aren't lying...I love you Izumi'

He stared back at her -a cute blush adorning his face- to notice that she's fallen asleep again...He giggled knowing that his revelation has totally failed and let his body collapse near hers; he needed to take a rest too.

_

 _ **AN:** Well hope you liked it..._

 _Sorry for the creepy previous chapters, I tried my best to edit them and so I updated a better version of them..._

 _see ya soon in a new chapter!_

 ** _Love y'all_**


	16. At the edge of death

**_23rd_** ** _of December_**

《 'Shisui! Wait! I'm really sorry!'

 _And what could he do beside apologizing?_

It was anyway the unique palpable sentence floating in his mind. Shisui has been evading him, piecemeal vanishing from his sights and all what he's been able to achieve was yipping for him to wait.

Shisui kept trotting nochalantly to the brightness of an incredibly white light. He didn't seem to have the mere affliction about his "brother".

Because all what he desired was talking to him -just once- again, Itachi moved in a hasteful gait with his arm extending in the hope of reaching the mere shadow -barely seen to him- of his deceased bestie.

Albeit the surroundings were the last thing that would plague him, they seemed too grieving for his delicate soul; a vast valley that was bordered at his north by a blinding light that Shisui didn't cease to saunter towards.

No matter how rapid he ran his prey still seemed too far. Way too far till it felt like jogging in an endless labyrinth.

Weariness was skulking within him whispering the wheezes of his defeat. It wasn't much time before he dropped to the grassy floor.

Blasts of chilling wind made his sooty locks dance on his back revealing his doleful face.

When the gusts stilled, his eyes narrowed at the sight of his friend smiling to him from afar.

It warmed Itachi's frosted heart; witnessing Shisui smirk the way he did when they used to be together. But it was never enough; forgiveness was a necessity.

Staring into each other's eyes, a short hush ruled the scene. Moments later, Shisui broke the silence with a balmy replica:

'You did well Itachi, there is nothing to apologize for. But you should know that if you join me now, I'll never forgive you...'》

 _Another dream..._

Waking up to a visualization of Shisui was habitual to Itachi, But this time, he was able to recognize the total change in his own dreams; for the first time, it seemed more like a soothing prophecy than a soul-torturing nightmare.

 _He had to carry out their ambitions, but first he had to stay alive._

Glancing at the window, the darkness has started to fade surrendering to the arrival of a new day. Because dawn has always been his favorite daytime, he tempted to take a walk outside. Plus the previous day was spent in wrestling beneath the blanket and he wasn't of the indoor type.

Consequently, he started pulling himself lazily from the coziness of bed. But something was grasping his waist firmly; something warm and curvy guled to him by the back.

The thought coming into his mind like a dose of endorphins* as an answer made him giggle.

He interlocked his fingers with Izumi's giving himself better access to discover the smooth skin embracing his palm.

Now that he thought about it, it would be a waste if he abandoned her tepidness for a morning walk.

 _Wouldn't it?_

She was stealthily dragging him into sloth but he cared less, because nothing was as priceless as being wrapped in her holy arms.

 ** _24th of December_**

Tsunade straightened in her Hokage chair casting a serious glare to the loyal Kunoichi that stood in front of her. The blond woman lowered the tone of her voice to a whisper, frightened by the thought of the secret leaking -Despite the trust she had in the nearby workers.

'So, this will be your mission. Do you accept it?'

Mikoto -aware of the burden laying beneath acceptance- nodded then declared with no sign of hesitation:

'Of course, none else can handle supervising the Uchiha clan beside me and Itachi.'

 ** _25th of December_**

Naruto ambled in the long hallways of the hospital. Now that he has finished his visit to Kakashi-Sensei and Ero-Sensei, he was off for some morning training. Strolling aimlessly, he ended up in the floor of surgeries.

Gaze rolling from a place to another in search of an exit, his eyes sat on Izumi. He trekked to her and poked her by the back trying to get her attention, _he had a lot to talk about with her after all_.

She glanced at him in her usual melancholic features which hid in beneath a universe of empathy.

She had her own world that was built by bricks of angst and agony. She had an excess of overwhelming thoughts suppressed in the corners of her mind. And so, a dialogue with Naruto who was making the wise guy face will be just a waste of time and endurance.

But there was also the blithe Izumi who wanted to hear him out anyway.

'Izumi Nee-Chan, there is something very important that you should know'

She sighed a long breath of annoyance then hummed for him to continue.

'That Itachi is a perv.'

Now that the subject turned to be about Itachi she became innerly interested but still kept her cool nonchalant mood.

'Itachi-kun? A perv?'

Naruto nodded intensely rubbing his index against the extremity of his nose.

'Um! Um! Monday when you were sleeping next to him he tried to do lotsa inappropriate things to you'

At that point, tints of scarlet scattered throughout her face and so she lost her ability to hide her concern.

'Inappropriate things?'

'Um! Um! If I wasn't there to stop him he would have kissed you by force. When I entered he was cupping your chin and getting ready to fulfill his crime!'

Izumi scowled.

'You mean Itachi-kun, was about to kiss me...'

'Um! Um! And I stopped him!'

Her fury was obvious just by seeing her Sharingan's involuntary activation.

Izumi stilled, Naruto deemed it was from shock and that was making him even prouder.

'I know! I know! No need to thank me Dattebayo!'

Eyes gleaming in pure bloodlust, she grumbled in her most frightful tones:

'Naruto! If you don't leave now, I'll SLAUGHTER you!'

 _After all, kissing Itachi was the reason glueing her to this life...wasn't it?_

The Jinchūriki winced, gulped but still had the bravery to ask why. And that casted him the pain of a harsh punch which sent him flying in the air. He bumped in a wall, nostrils bleeding and cheek puffed by a bruise.

Sakura passed by to hear him shrieking:

'Damn it...what's wrong with her...those girls with cute faces are so scary...She's even scarier than Sakura-Chan...'

The cherry blossom queen trekked to him and aimed at him another stroke which was followed by a snarl:

'I'm scary then? Shanarooo!'

 ** _26th of December_**

Team seven alongside their Sensei didn't leave him alone for the whole day; yakking, playing cards, singing and making dance concepts.

 _It was the side effect of bordom after all..._

It was hard for Itachi to admit it, but a day by their company was fun. Their pure souls -still untainted by the malice of world- were giving him a sparkle of hope; thr hope of seeing this world in peace again.

Izumi was too busy with work and all what Itachi felt was missing her and since there was Naruto nagging on his head to teach him Genjutsu he didn't even have the time to fantasize about her.

 ** _27th of December_**

Everyone was preparing for the new year's arrival except Izumi, because she spent each night crying in the cold dark corridors of the hospital or the empty frightful corners of her house.

 ** _28th of December_**

Sasuke slid the door closed behind him with a shivering hand. He was barely able to maintain his fading strength and so seeing the room empty was a relief.

Glancing at the medical machines surrounding Itachi, a wave of anxiety ravaged him. It drowned him into an ocean made by drops of despair which was provoking some kind of an immovable pression on his chest. And when his gaze fell on Itachi, all the strength he accumulated within the previous days perished. Sasuke clenched his fists and with tears never ceasing to fall he whimpered:

'Nii-San...Don't leave...please...'

 ** _29th of December_**

'Izumi, don't cry...'

 _And what else could he say?_ _lately his physical state has worsened to a worrying level._

He loathed the fact that he was the reason behind her tears that was why Itachi had an urge to cheer her up a bit but the high possibly of his demise was an unblemished reality that none could deny.

He fumbled for her hand seeking rescue and she clutched it accepting to be his savior. His consciousness was evanescing consequently he spent the last drops of the energy he assembled to tell her:

'Whether I live or die, both will be in our favor because I'll be always there. If it happened and I passed away, I'll be forever in your mind and if I lived I promise to be forever in your sights'

She nearly ran out of breath from excessive weeping, randomly clenched and unclenched her fists from the -never ceasing to raise- angst and after a battle with her own fears she whimpered:

'Shut up! Ain't letting you...die...'

_

Tsunade -aware of her apprentice's pains- sent a sorrowful glare to Izumi.

Lowering her voice to a soft tone, she asked:

'Have you taken a decision?'

'Yeah, I'll be in the team assigned to carry out his surgery.'

_

Endorphin: A hormone that provokes happiness.

 _ **AN:** Here is a new chapter hope you liked it..._

 _don't forget to leave a review..._

 _see ya soon..._

 ** _Love y'all_**


	17. Sorry

_I abandoned this story_


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